


The Golden Scale

by Sailingfreely



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Fluff and Angst, King Jaehyun, King/Gisaeng, M/M, Mpreg, Mysterious Taeyong, Prophecy, Smut, Supernatural Elements, War, period au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:53:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 62,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailingfreely/pseuds/Sailingfreely
Summary: Being the King is the last thing that Jaehyun want, alas fate decided it to be so against his will. And he hates the prophecy which put him where he is now.He came to hate his life, unable to trust anyone and everything seems so dull. Until, he encountered a person, who he couldn't tell whether they're a man or a woman, so bravely colors his soul.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 59
Kudos: 241





	1. Moon One

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written as another ship under my other username Reapjewelfish.
> 
> There will be a chapter(s) later on which contains gore (blood) and violence, it's not between the main characters. And since this is period au which happen in the old days, minor misogyny, patriarchy, slavery is implied. This is fictional and may not represent the actual cultural setting. **Readers discretion is adviced.**
> 
> It's mature because (of course) there's smut! We will start off fluffy babies~ ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)

Yoonoh never like superstition, no matter how people and life as it is revolves around them, even how the kingdom should be running is with the foundation of superstition. He started to notice his dislike when he was ten years old, was a happy child of the king's second concubine, but that soon changed because one Oracle had a vision that he will bring a big change in the future. That one prophecy changed his life, no longer was he one of the princes who matter less than the queen's heir. Suddenly the role of the Crown Prince was bestowed on him, life became hard and dull for him, growing cold under the hatred and disagreement of many people in the kingdom. His childhood ended way too early that he couldn't even remember if he ever feel truly happy then.

Years later, it happened again when he was thirteen years old, just a couple more years to come age and officially getting the role of the Crown Prince, that the palace Oracle had another vision about him. He still remembers the concern and a rather disturbing expression on the king's and the queen's face, the palace hall felt cold and too vast, hollowing as the air relays the voice of the Oracle.

"Prince Yoonoh, the moon will affect your fate as the mark engraved in your skin and flesh. You will bring either peace or ruin upon us shall you not choose wisely, beware of the golden eyes."

As if his relationship with the queen wasn't bad enough already, that prophecy made it worse, she grew from hating him to resenting him. It wasn't once or twice that the palace people heard the queen arguing with the king that it had been a very bad idea to chose Yoonoh as the next king, ambition clear that she wanted her son to take on the role as it was rightfully his. But the king still holds a higher power than her and her plight goes unheard. And so, life gets harder and Yoonoh came to hate all things connected to superstition, they don't make sense to him. How could something stupid like visions dictate his whole life? It was utter nonsense for him and he is, a logical person who believes in hard facts, things he sees for himself.

Came his fifteen birthday, he will take on a new name and be celebrated in May for his coming of age. Jaehyun was the name personally gifted to him by the king to welcome his new life as an adult, long hair tied up and hidden behind the black tall hat in Gwallye ceremony. The now crown Prince Jaehyun sat not too far from where the king was sitting behind the bamboo curtains, not a sight allowed to be seen even by the eyes of nobles as the king was considered as God. He, too, will sit there in the future, he dislike the thought. It seems too lonely of a life for him, he would rather have a close relation with his subjects, alas it wasn't allowed. He doesn't want to be king.

As the fleeting anxious thought passed his mind, the crowd screams, contrasting the previous bout of merry laughter which was filling the premise of the celebration. Jaehyun reflexively stood up from his seat, heart took up a mile when a fire suddenly breaks out in the middle of the palace yard. So great was the fire it seems about to swallow all which present, but Jaehyun noticed there was something peculiar about the fire despite the fear building up in his gut. The fire brings no heat, like a mirage fooling the eyes to create terror, they burn relentlessly yet nothing truly eaten away. Perhaps it was bravery or stupid curiosity when Jaehyun took a step closer rather than away from the fire, reaching out to touch it.

Immediately when his skin almost touches the fire, a strong twirl of the fire along with a gush of wind hit him almost knocking him over. Then, a pale hand materialized and caught his wrist, claws almost digging into his flesh that Jaehyun almost missed the wide, terrifying grin on the equally pale face with jade eyes, "how kind of you Prince, to seek me before I did."

 _Panic_. They burst in his gut as fear recognized foe, because the one which caught him was unmistakably not human. With double strength exploding from horror, he tried to pry his hand free, but it was futile since the hand around his wrist held power greater than any human will ever be. There was a scream scratching his in throat, hard ache drumming in his heart even to his ears, eyes already foreseeing his death before the fire burn brighter and bigger around him, swallowing him whole. White tethering the edges of his sight, bringing along the void sense of darkness and before the tornado of fire took all of him, the last thing he saw was the majestic white tails behind the creature.

 _A Gumiho_.

According to who was present, Jaehyun disappeared along with the fire which flew to the sky, he was found in a faraway forest after missing for days with high fever and a mark of burnt flesh looking like an ancient illustration of a fox on the length of his right arm. His fever burns so high he was drifting between life and death, no amount of medicines and the palace witch doctor's efforts could heal him. The third week after he was found finally he come about, experiencing bouts of twisted images and unceasing voices he couldn't decipher in his head, nausea be his sole companion in bed for more than a month. Until he realized, the images and voices in his head were thoughts of the people around him.

Suddenly, he no longer was an ordinary human. The fear, the knowledge of what people are thinking, isolate him further and heart growing cold. He feels safe no more, even those about the king, terrified him and gradually, trust fading and no one could soothe him like oblivion once comforted him. And when he grew older, the king fell sick, he rises up as the new king to sit on his lonely crown, detached from the world with no one to trust and accompanied with never ending voices which decaying his heart.

  
\--

  
"It's just doesn't make sense."

Jaehyun pressed a thumb to his temple and rise the little cup filled with liquor to his lips with his other hand. The haze which the liquid could offer does best to muffle the voices in his head, "what doesn't make sense?"

The palace advisor lifted his head to stare at him, perhaps the only few people who are allowed to do that, "the evidences, your majesty, they don't make sense. These cases have become quite a sensation amongst the people as of lately, so we need to resolve it soon, but the evidences starting to make me suspicious that there are people who deliberately did this to stir doubt about you, your majesty."

"And what do you think is amiss, Minhyung? That they might grow doubtful towards me?" Because it's ridiculous, the doubt already existed ever since they heard of him being captured by a gumiho. There are reasons enough to doubt him fitting to be king, alas it still happened.

"All these killings, your majesty, the people who were murdered are all looking like some beasts fed on them, chest gaping and organs missing. But there were no signs of animals in the premises, no footprints, fur or the likes as if these bodies are placed there after the ripping just to make a show. People are made to believe that there are certain ferocious animals roaming the streets at night, but there is no sighting nor evidence to confirm that. How is that possible, to have none at all?"

Jaehyun took another sip and relish on the way the liquid burns his throat, floating his head although still capable enough to hear the thoughts swarming in the little advisor's head, "You think these are the doings of people who wanted to take me down by stirring doubts and possibly raising numbers to enable a coup?"

"Your past is a rather convincing reason, your majesty," Minhyung said solemnly.

"Because who would want to be ruled by a gumiho, am I right?" He chuckled humorlessly, "after thirteen years and you would think people will forget that."

"They don't. Not when the killing keeps happening and increasing the frequency," Minhyung sighed.

If Jaehyun have to be honest, he rather like the advisor. He has a way with his words, he keep and let out what are fitting for him, in a way he's manipulative and calculating. But not entirely for a bad cause and he didn't hide what he's feeling. He didn't lie, he just withheld some information and it wasn't for his selfish favor. The man is simply being rightful in his own way and Jaehyun appreciate him, it had been a good choice to point him as his advisor. But was there trust for him? Jaehyun didn't think so, he's also calculating his steps with this man.

The guards in the hallway outside his chamber made a warning noise of someone's arrival, "the queen requested a permission to be allowed entrance."

Well, that is enough to trigger his headache more than the issue which they're currently discussing. With a long sigh, he answers, "she may."

"Your majesty," Minhyung whispered with unsaid question.

"Leave it for later, Minhyung, I find it unpleasant to have her shadow on my tail."

"Careful, your majesty, such words can be taken differently by certain people."

"They're allowed to have their delusion if they wanted, you should know by now I don't really care," he scoffed.

"You should be, your majesty. You should see how it is in the kingdom, should panic arises, king or God, they would try to bring you down."

"Huh," Jaehyun pours himself another cup of liquor the same time the queen walking into the chamber in her graceful steps and beautiful gown. The advisor took steps away with a deep bow at the arrival and avoid to raise his head in the queen's presence.

"I will be taking my leave, your majesty," he said with much humble and bowed again to the queen before walking out backward, "Your highness."

The space immediately feels tighter with just them alone and Jaehyun despise the scratching voices of the queen in his head, still he tries to play his part, "and to what did I owe the honor of your visit, Cheungcha?"

The woman bows down before him out of customary because despite he's her husband, he's still the king and higher than her, "it's been a while since we last shared a conversation, your majesty."

"I believe it was two weeks?"

"It's been a month, your majesty," she answered with slightly emphasized tone, "I've been wondering how you're doing, your majesty."

"I've been doing fine, Cheungcha," he sips on the liquor, not sparing another glance toward the woman, "until you came through the door."

She stills in her bowing stance, "have I been not to your satisfaction, your majesty? I could be should you tell me what you wanted."

Jaehyun didn't even bother to hide the sigh which spilling out his mouth, "it's been three years, Cheungcha, you should have known there was no need for pretense between us. As we both know, not any of us want this marriage to happen, yet it did and we can't do anything about it."

The woman raised her head at that, allowed herself to look into his eyes, "it is only your assumption which came to such conclusion, I have not been forced upon this marriage as it was my own choice."

Jaehyun almost laugh at such bold words, as if he didn't hear her thoughts as clear as crystals that it was only ambition running in her veins, he couldn't mask his mocking smile though, "really? And what is the reason of your sudden visit?"

"I could not rest well at the growing rumors of why there's still no heir present for the kingdom, your majesty, even after the three consorts you've taken in."

Perhaps three years is more than enough for the queen's patience to run thin, he thinks, "what of it? Do they suggest you to visit the palace doctors?"

There was silence for a moment, "the palace grounds held almost no secret to the ears within it, they are mostly questioning your visits, your majesty."

"And you're insulted, as your family is," he muttered, not in the least bit concerned, "You came to ask me to visit you tonight."

"It is our duty to produce an heir, your majesty, if I will not do the consorts are wishing for your visit as well."

"You wish it would be you, that's why you came to me before they do. After all, as the queen you're granted audience with me easier than they could."

The woman was fast to try to reply, and yet wasn't fast enough, "your majesty-"

"Cheungcha," he cuts in, "You should be more insulted that they regard you merely as a tool to make children, shouldn't you?"

And that, was something the queen couldn't reply to, so Jaehyun gesture to the door as politely as he could to chase out someone, "Your visit has been pleasant, but I have matters I need to do, please see yourself out, Cheungcha."

Just like that, as if nothing happened, Jaehyun forget about her as soon as she walked out his chamber. Perhaps he did consider giving her a visit later that day, but his mind goes back to what Minhyung had said to him at the end of their interrupted conversation. It was an idea much more interesting than visiting his queen's chamber, too much that he couldn't wait another moment and asked the guards outside his chamber to call in his advisor and his personal guards.

  
\--

  
"This doesn't seem to be a good idea, absolutely ridiculous if you ask me."

"Come on Doyoung, let loose your tight ass for a little bit, would you? This is fun for all of us," the guard who's taller than the other two, flapping his rather ordinary gown in excitement.

"Minhyung said this is a very bad idea, so why are we still doing this? The king should never leave the palace, there is too much risk not to mention it is not allowed, Youngho. This is not fun, this is idiotic."

"Hey, are you not to obey what your king wants you to do?" Jaehyun snorted, wiggling a bit under the cheap robe he's wearing having not accustomed to anything other than silk and expensive materials on his skin.

"Disguising as rich merchants with you is not my job requirement, your majesty," Doyoung grunted.

"I chose you to be my personal guard, Doyoung, not my mother and I should be able to do what I want," he pulled Doyoung's gown a bit to fix it, "Minhyung, despite his dismay, agreed to prepare a poser of me shall certain situation arises before I come back."

"Oh queen mother will have our heads if she hears about this," he lamented.

"Problem is solved if you speak no word about this Doyoung," Youngho shrugged, "although, why do you want to do this Jaehyun?"

"Hey, address him correctly," Doyoung warned.

"Hush, Doyoung, are we not childhood friends before I am a king? Don't be so uptight. And I want to see my people, that should be normalized."

"I like that, no king ever do this and I'm in for shits like this," Youngho snorted a laugh.

"Could you please be less vulgar with your words? At least in front of the king?" Doyoung protested.

"He said we're his friends first, why should I? As if we don't enjoy the share of vulgar words in our youth."

"I don't mind, in fact, his rather vulgar words make our disguise all the more convincing," Jaehyun smiled.

"But in all honesty, why in the God's name are you doing this?" Doyoung said in exasperation.

"The strange murders have reached even me and I want it solved soon. If I have no knowing about the outside world, how am I capable to see which is right and wrong should the reports goes to me? I have to see it with my own eyes," he said while eyes wander around, "words could not describe enough for me to know the truth. And dare I say, they're different than how I always imagined it to be, some places are worse than I thought."

"You have a point there, but you could have asked us if you don't trust these reports," Youngho said.

"Could I? I'd rather have my own judgement than through your eyes which inevitably filtered by your own judgement, which isn't necessarily wrong, but you know what I'm trying to say."

"Just say that you want to go out of your prison," Doyoung sighed, catching the two looking at him weirdly, "what?"

"The truth which you said, yet it's more problematic than what we had said," Youngho laughed. "Anyway, where do you want to go, Jaehyun?"

"Around, everywhere, I want to see my people," then they start walking around, sometimes greets people who greet them out of courtesy, but mostly avoided them due their attire which show their status which visibly higher than commoners.

"Maybe we should disguise as commoners if these attire gives such reaction," Jaehyun said.

"Being commoners grants you little entrance to certain places and it'll be inconvenient," Youngho replied, "beside wearing commoners doesn't mean it could hide your charisma from sitting on the throne for years, Jaehyun, it shows and it'll cause more suspicion."

"Entrance to what kind of place?" Jaehyun look up and see rows of colorful houses which, despite being rather lifeless in the day, still attention grabbing they are, "where are you taking me?"

"Isn't this the gisaeng neighborhood?" Doyoung realized with a soft gasp, "what is in your mind Youngho?"

"I figured Jaehyun is tired of the court women and this could be a good entertainment?" He shrugged.

"It's still bright daylight!" Doyoung protested.

"We're not going to that kind of house, calm your tits," Youngho rolled his eyes with a grunt.

"Gisaeng neighborhood? The ones of the court?" Jaehyun asked in confusion.

"The houses, yeah. But there are establishment of their own despite all of them answer to the court, all over the country they are. The independent establishments vary, from the ones which service the night and ones which aren't. Which I'm guessing Youngho is bringing us to the ones which aren't?" Doyoung narrowed his eyes to the other man.

"Half right," he grins, "they have ladies who are for the night and those who are not."

"Are we not going to see about the strange killings?" Jaehyun grew even more confused.

"What can we see about that? There's nothing there, unless if there's a fresh kill happening, then that's a different story. The crime scenes are already wiped clean, nothing you can see," Youngho said. "So I figured why not go for fun? The slaves of the country with aristocrats minds are enough to impress, beside they holds much information many does not know, since they're at the core of our social structure. It'll be killing two birds with one stone."

"Is there nothing we can do about it? It's apparent the happenings caused tension in the people," Jaehyun can say so because he heard and seen what are in these people's minds. They're scared, wary and not trusting even those who are close to them.

"They are mostly scared of you, Jaehyun. Who likes it when their king could be a gumiho? Silly if you ask me, how could supernatural beings like that be real? Imaginative minds more likely," Youngho snorted.

"But according to Jaehyun's story, it is," Doyoung argued.

"Wasn't it panic which created such memory? It was nature abnormality which caused the fire tornado and brought Jaehyun, the mark on his arm is nothing less than a burnt scar which coincidentally in the shape of a... fox."

"I wasn't one who believes such too, but it appears they could be real," if he didn't acquire a strange ability, he too, would question his memory. But it was undeniably real.

Youngho sighed skeptically, "whatever it is, the fact remains that people are more convinced that the palace people doesn't care for their well being, that's the main problem."

"The system really adds to the fear, unfortunately," Doyoung agreed.

"Although only some, we do care, after all we're connected to each other in one structure, what's to be done to relieve such suspicion?"

"Do you?"

All three men got surprised at the sudden voice coming from behind them, finding a man in rough clothing material staring at them, unquestionably a commoner or perhaps even less. He stood there unwavering even in the eyes of the three men, tied black hair reached over his shoulder framing his white milk like skin and big round eyes. He has thin lips with high nose, jawline sharp yet there's beauty unlike man nor woman. There's charisma exuding from him despite his attire, which is enough to spark interest within the three men.

"Pardon?" Doyoung asked finally after a moment of inspection, a hand travelling to the belt of his sword on his waist.

"My apologies, I've been told to never eavesdrop, but one couldn't help hearing things when they're spoken quite loudly," the man bowed with a smile, eyes showing nothing but sarcasm. "Are you perhaps nobles?"

"What did you hear?" This time it was Youngho who's standing in front of Jaehyun and reached for the hilt of his sword, "we're not nobles, just merchants passing by."

The man threw his head back a little as he mouthed, ' _ah_ ', obviously not believing what Youngho told him, "I beg to differ, your reaction by reaching for your sword was enough to tell that you're not what you said you are. Rich merchants often came to visit here with less grandiose for an outfit."

"And are you one of those visitors to be here since no man allowed to live in these houses?" Doyoung asked, visibly irked, "also because you seem not the least bit bothered to speak rudely to the ones you supposed as nobles?"

"You can have my head if you want, that tells more that you're not supposed to be here at all," he grinned, "and add more oil into the fire within the belief that you people don't care about us. But that's not even your concern because we could do nothing about it since we are just, dolls without face for you."

Jaehyun knows it's time to speak up, "that is not true, we care about all of you despite how it may seem."

He didn't realize the worried look of his two guards are giving him until the man chuckled, "I think you just admitted that you're a noble, my Lord. But do you, really care? I think not."

"Tell me your name, then maybe we can see eye to eye, everyone of us is the same human and not less."

"Spoken like wisdom, but I wonder about the practice. I'm more convinced you'll use my name to end me rather than anything else," he smirked.

"Then maybe I could show you otherwise," Jaehyun said softly, "Are you not still talking to me for a reason?"

"Perhaps you will not end me right away," he said still with a challenging smile, "the name is Taeyong, my Lord, and I'm sure the courtesy doesn't apply to you to tell me your name. But you'll never find me and this will be the first and the last of our conversation."

"I could tell you my name-" he stopped when two hands gripping his forearm along with a warning look from his two guards.

"I'd rather not, good day my Lord," he grinned, then walk away without bowing nor did he look back.

"That man is dead," Youngho hissed.

"If we weren't in disguise, yes. But unfortunately we can do nothing in this circumstance. That rude mouth of his will kill him sooner or later," Doyoung huffed.

"His fearless attitude rather intrigued me," Jaehyun muttered, "I'm curious about what more he has to say."

"Is this you telling us to find out who he is?" Youngho grunted.

"Yes, find him, no matter what," Jaehyun ordered before he, too, walk away from the scene. Because aside from the brazen words the man had spoken to him, it is the fact that he could not hear the man's mind which intrigued him far more so.

"Find him you must."

  
\--

  
Two weeks after that, they still find nothing not even with their best Intel, until Doyoung requested the more traditional way of seeking. A stake out and stalking the person of interest, which hasn't been done because there's a risk of the palace people becoming aware of such inspection, which may rise questions and Jaehyun don't want them to sniff him out for whatever reason. Youngho, as the ever sly person he is, managed to do it without being known by these palace people and not even Jaehyun could ask him how he did that.

"All the hundreds Taeyong we have found are not him, and there's no Taeyong nor any man live in the neighborhood since the gisaeng houses forbidden to house any man. But," Youngho left it hanging for a suspense seen from the way he's smirking, "interestingly, we did find him getting in and out a certain house twice, since he rarely seen outside it was a harsh stake out. Hojang is required to list every slaves and gisaengs there are in our country in giseok rolls, obviously there was no Taeyong in it since he's a man. Or, he could be not a man. Either he or she's a gisaeng disguising as a man whenever she takes a walk, or he's a man these gisaeng hid in that house. Which means the Haengsu gisaeng are to be punished with death sentence if this is true, which I believe you wouldn't do that because you're a very reasonable human with beliefs that they may have a reason to do this."

Jaehyun crossed his hands in thought, "you're absolutely right and now I'm more keen to know which is true."

"Should I make arrangements?" Youngho grinned, pleased at the prosperity that he could enjoy the gisaeng entertainment later.

"Tell Minhyung too, we will need his help in the palace to make my absent possible."

"Right away, your majesty," he winked, then he went away not without skipping in his steps.

After many arguments and yelling from both Youngho and Minhyung, finally the king's advisor relented not before they went through a week of persuasion. This time, the three men with two more trusted guards - _per Doyoung and Minhyung's request_ \- set out for the gisaeng establishment house in the question. The house was rather ordinary looking, much similar to the other kind of houses, they're not for the court and rather for the respectable men in the heart of Korea. Gisaeng is a form of arts and intelligence, they bring color and culture to their dance, music and poems alike. Although majority of them are arts entertainers, some do offer the service of the night.

This house was no different, some do offer only arts, the others may offer more. The Haengsu gisaeng as always, are the one who greeted them at the front, listing the customers to be informed further on the next day to the Hojang. The Haengsu of the house was a mature, middle aged lady, elegant in her stance and gestures. Looking pleased at their arrival and brings out many of the ladies to entertain them with music and dance and occasionally reciting poems, talented in the art of conversation.

Not long, some of the few who are accompanying Jaehyun, offer their night with pretty smiles and flutters of their smooth fingers, but they weren't the one he's been looking for. He thinks, maybe the person will not be present or show themselves in this manner, if they are indeed was a hidden person. That is, until a new select few of dancers coming in with their best and most beautiful gown. Colorful materials, bright jewelry, fresh make up and elegant scent rushing in at the dance filing the room following the unceasing music. Long, silky black hair tighten up into a neat bun fixed with accessories and pale fingers and face moving like flowing air and floating like water. How utterly beautiful the person was and unlike the face he had the pleasure to know about a month ago.

Nevertheless, one of the people dancing in front of him is unmistakably the man he saw and been looking for. Jaehyun waits, watching and favoring the sight before him, a dance smoother than any he has ever seen and curiosity mounts brighter in his chest. And he waits until the dance come to finish and when those big, beautiful eyes finally landed on him, attention solely for him. Jaehyun didn't miss the way those eyes widened in surprise, he may be able to hear and see the thoughts of all the people present in the room, but just like the last time, it was only this person's he couldn't read. Yet, even without his ability, he could understand recognition in the person's eyes.

"You," Jaehyun called, patience was no more, "what is your name?"

The person, who look nothing else but a lady in front of him, stared at him with an intensity which he couldn't decipher, but perhaps it was fear and wariness. They keep staring at each other for a long moment, nobody was saying anything nor was anyone answering his question. Until the woman beside him answer in hesitation, "her name is Taehee, my Lord."

"Taehee," Jaehyun says the name and it flows smoothly off his tongue, a smile grows on his lips wondering which side of this person is the truth, "Taehee, I've taken a liking to you, your dance was so graceful that I cannot help but be enchanted with you. I'm interested to hear more from you, either songs or poems."

Taehee, stay quiet and motionless, eyes never leaving him as if they're looking into the eyes of a tiger about to launch on them. It was the same lady beside him who answered for them, "my Lord, Taehee would be honored to perform for you, although unfortunately the night had grew too late and-"

"I'm proposing for her to stay with me for the night," he quickly suggested, causing a few surprised gasps to fill the room and he could hear the horrors in their mind. Sadly he couldn't really understand the reason of such horrors since the voices are too loud and overlapping in his mind.

Then the Haengsu coming in to give a piece of her mind, "forgive me my Lord, but Taehee was not for the night as she's mainly our dancer and unfortunately, I beg your forgiveness that we must decline your request."

"Rest assured madam, all I wanted from her was to converse, I will not touch her in any way," Jaehyun said and he couldn't ignore the looks both Youngho and Doyoung are giving him.

"But, my Lord-"

"Are you to refuse me, madam?" He rises his tone a little bit to emphasize that he will not be refused.

The Haengsu looked so troubled, perhaps even terrified, but reluctantly she bowed down and agreed, "I will ready the room for your stay, my Lord. Please take care of Taehee."

When the house lady walking out the room with the dancers, including Taehee, Jaehyun didn't miss the angry look the person is giving him as they walk away. And so, purely out of amusement, he winked and raises his cup in their direction for a mock salute, mouthing, ' _I_ _see you_.'

The night grows late, stars presenting themselves in the dark sky when Jaehyun already sitting alone in the designated room waiting for the person of interest to enter. And enter they did after a long moment, changed out of their dancing gown and into a more casual one although still thick with embroidery and jewelry. The person stood by the door after they slide it closed, heaving a breath before finally looking to Jaehyun with an undeniably fake smile.

"You asked for me, my Lord? May I know what kind of entertainment would please you the best?"

Jaehyun stared, chuckling at the ridiculousness of the situation, "You know, you might think you're a good actor or actress, but you don't fool me in the slightest."

"Actor or actress? Whatever do you mean, my Lord?" They grinned.

"How long are you going to keep standing there? Have a seat with me and I'll tell you what I meant," he patted the cushion beside him on the floor.

Without hiding the grunt rolling out of their mouth, Taehee walked over and sitting down although a distance away from him, "would you like more liquor to accompany you, my Lord?"

Jaehyun hummed, leaning his face on his hand, "depends, it'll be a good idea unless you're trying to make me drunk and possibly make it easier for you to run away from me."

"Oh my, why would you think so?" They chuckled much in fake amusement, more like mockery which the king could almost taste in his mouth. Even in the confines of the room and quiet voices in his head, he still couldn't read this person. Just who is this person?

And so he asked right away, "You know, there's no need to play fool any longer, Taeyong. If that name was even real."

The person scoffed, shifting in their seat that they're no longer sitting formally. Not playing any mask, at least partially because he replied with, "I think you mistook me for someone else."

"Oh really? I don't think so, Taehee or Taeyong whoever you really are, because your reaction tells a lot," he retaliate with the same words the person had said to him at their first meeting. "Who are you?"

"The same question you couldn't answer, isn't it, my Lord? Tell me why I should give you the answer when you wouldn't do the same?"

"You just admitted that you're the same person as the Taeyong I had the pleasure to know," Jaehyun smiled in satisfaction even though it was short lived because the person is clever if not having a silver tongue.

"I admitted to nothing, but since it's a game you seem want to play, I play along, my Lord," they grinned, looking smug and borderline insulting.

"If I am what you claimed to be, a noble, you're aware you could lose your head just from saying those words alone."

"Oh? Have I ever claimed such before? I just know you're a merchant seeking company from us, are you a noble my Lord?" They feigned surprise and amusement.

 _Very clever_ , Jaehyun thought, he had laid the trap and they avoided it with ease. He wonders if the years of depending on his ability to read people's thoughts dulling his ability to unravel people with the skill of conversation alone. Rather than the king trying to expose the gisaeng, this feels more like the opposite.

"Are you a man or are you a woman?" He asked without holding back, eyes not letting a single twitch of the person to escape him. But the person doesn't look in the slightest bit caught out of their guard, still graceful on their seat with ever present smile, beautiful and mysterious.

"That's a rather rude question, is it not, my Lord?"

Again, they evaded so cleverly without admitting anything. Just how will Jaehyun open this person's seemingly lots of locks? "From your looks it's hard to tell whether you're a woman or a man, it's just a curious question."

The gisaeng hummed still with a smile, "who I am in front of you right now, my Lord? In this place?"

Jaehyun thinks over it for a moment if he could reply with something which will take a chunk out of the person's armor, yet he could only answer with, "a gisaeng."

"Then I am," they smiled, getting the ceramic bottle of liquor, "let me pour you something to drink."

"You know, I could just force you into telling me the truth," he said as he let his cup to be filed with the clear burning liquid.

"Well then do so, my Lord. But the mystery wouldn't last and there's no fun in that, wouldn't it?"

"Are you not afraid to die, Taeyong?"

"The name is Taehee my Lord, and no, I don't. If it's in the hand of someone's boredom and curiosity, then there's no shame on me to keep what I think is my justice."

"In other words, it's my shame to kill someone just for my satisfaction."

"Your words, not mine," they chuckled.

"In a way you believe that shame could stop people like me, as you implied, to do something which could put you into disadvantage, am I right?"

"I wouldn't dare to say that pride is what people care about the most," the slender, pale fingers smoothed their gown companied with a meaningful smile.

Jaehyun laughed, "You really have your ways with words, Taehee."

"We artists are to be skilled with many forms of arts, including words, my Lord."

"Alright," he gave in with a snort, motioning for the gisaeng to fill his cup again, "let's see if you're such an artist tonight, impress me."

"I would be delighted for the honor, my Lord."

  
\--

  
"So?"

Jaehyun look to Youngho who seems sleepy and exhausted that morning, "no answer, they really good at evading, can't say I'm not truly impressed. I'm even more intrigued now."

"Really? You spent all night without getting anything?" The guard grunted, shooing the two other guards to walk far away behind them to avoid being heard.

"At this rate the next thing we know you'll ask us to do this outing again," Doyoung sighed, only to grow wary when Jaehyun smiled to him, "what... no."

"You're right Doyoung, you just read my mind."

"Just to know if he's a man or a woman? Really Jaehyun? Do I need to get worried now?" Youngho deadpanned.

"Or is it because you think he will have to be punished accordingly if he's really a man?" Doyoung asked.

"You really think I'm the kind of person who will do that?" Jaehyun lifted an eyebrow.

Both Doyoung and Youngho makes a sour face, "then you're either having fun or you're obsessed."

"They're an interesting person," after so many years, Jaehyun can say being with someone who he couldn't read their mind really is a fresh breeze in his life, a bit scary but more than that, it's refreshing. It feels like he's just a normal person with them, a person with flaws and without the heavy burden of many people's lives on his shoulder. Just him, Jaehyun.

After that and the fact that no issues arise with his visits, Minhyung stopped being so wary of letting him have his outing as long as he didn't neglect his duties as the king. Actually, he was pleased because Jaehyun being much more productive due to it, so he didn't even bat an eyelash whenever he asked the palace advisor to allow him out. Some people are welcoming his increase of productivity while some are not since it's harder for them to find excuses to paint him bad.

Even after quite a number of their visits to the establishment house, Jaehyun still learn so little about Taehee or Taeyong, but he does find pleasure in the person's beautiful voice and poems, their enchanting dances and alluring melodies from their instruments. What was curiosity turning into something else when Jaehyun found himself staring for quite a long moment at the person's charming appearance. He often drinks in the sight of sunlight upon their pretty pale skin and bewitched at the silver moonlight caressing their black hair and curve of eyelashes. Their shadows following Jaehyun like everlasting after images in his mind, persistent and seemingly refuse to leave him in peace.

  
"Good evening, pretty one," Jaehyun smirked, watching the person of interest walking in the same room they were designated at for the past few visits by the Haengsu gisaeng, who no longer wary to welcome the king since he had withheld his promise to not touch Taehee.

And just like always, the person is wearing a beautiful gown of many layers and colors which still incapable of rivaling the charm of the person wearing it, "I wonder why are you so keen to see me, my Lord, even though the most we had done was to argue among ourselves. Perhaps you like to have a debate? Which I'm sure you could have a partner in such conversation better than I am."

"True, there are many people try to argue with me just about anything that I do in my life. But none of them see me like you did to me."

"And how did I see you, pray tell? Maybe then I could avoid looking at you like that so you would come back no longer," they huffed before sitting down with a gayageum on their lap, adjusting the strings while talking all the same, "what kind of music would you like to hear today or to debate about, my Lord?"

"I hardly have enough knowledge about music that I could debate about it with you, an artist. Impress me like you usually did," he's sliding closer to Taehee so he could appreciate the music along with watching the gorgeous lean fingers dancing across the strings. "You're always looking at me with curiosity, as strange as it sounds, they calm me."

Taehee look up with a frown, "I couldn't believe that it was only me who's looking at you with curiosity, my Lord. It's easy to see that few of the ladies here give you the same curiosity."

"They did, but yours is different," he's reaching out to brush at the little black strands which coming off the neat hair bun of the person, keep touching it when he get no refusal from the gesture. "Your curiosity seems to merely focusing on my person and not who I might be, status or wealth. You just see me, the person who you think is trying to annoy you."

They give him a disinterested look, "if there's one thing I can truly be sure about, is that you are definitely annoying me."

Jaehyun laughs, "see? You hold back nothing at all, it's really refreshing."

Music starts to fill the space as the fingers picking at the strings, elegant and soothing, "the way you said it, makes it sound lonely, you know."

"It is lonely," he hummed, leaning back on the stacked cushions by the wall near them, "no matter how many people surrounding you, if they don't see the real you, it's lonely isn't it? You're there, but not really there at the same time."

Taehee's fingers didn't falter even though they appear to be in thoughts, quite an impressive talent of multitasking, "we do seek to be seen without secrets nor the need to hide, but sadly such a life is merely a fantasy for many of us."

"I don't feel like that when I'm with you though," Jaehyun smiled when Taehee stares at him, "I don't feel the need to choose the words I should and should not say. With you, I just said it all without restriction."

"For once you flattered me," they chuckled lightly, "but how do you know that I'm different than others? It could be only a manifestation of what you wanted to believe. Who's to say what you assumed are true?"

"I know they are, I've dealt with so many people that I can see it clearly. Who wanted to use me, to fool me, lied to me. I know them all."

"There's still possibilities what you think is right, are your own way to perceive it in ways you wanted or believed it to be," they argued in a soft voice yet stern on their principles.

' _It would be if I didn't have the ability to read people'_ , Jaehyun thought, smiling at the irony of his life, "believe me, I know."

Taehee sighed, "it's hard to argue when you believe what you want to believe in."

"Then keep trying to prove your point, I never said I don't agree with what you said. They're true, it's just that I do know what I know," he shrugged, sliding in closer again that he could breathe in the fresh smell of flowers from the person. "Am I wrong about you?"

The music stops when the gisaeng turned their face to put their attention solely on Jaehyun, "I don't feel the need to hide from you either. Do you think it's a lie or the truth?"

Perhaps it's the first time after so long that Jaehyun need to gaze back into a pair of eyes with the intention to read beyond what is seen. And it shook him a bit, how curious and insecure it made him to not know. Although, there's a tugging at his heart when he look at their eyes and as nerving as it is, Jaehyun is more taken in than feeling scared, "with you, I never know."

"Oh?" Taehee smiled teasingly with a jerk of an eyebrow, "and why would that be?"

"Who knows? You're unlike anyone else," he smiled too, warmth under his skin.

"Are you trying to say that I'm special?" They snicker, continue playing the instrument.

"I think you are."

Many times he asked himself just what is this strange fixation he has towards this person, he never feels quite like this with anybody. He thinks his queen and consorts are beautiful, very pleasant to his eyes, but there was merely visual enjoyment if not tainted with ill feelings because he's forced to welcome their presence for the kingdom's sake. But with this Taehee, Jaehyun feels his heart sings along with what he appreciate to see, there's a stirring which he couldn't understand yet very pleasant and not at all alarming.

What if the person is a man? Jaehyun also wonders at times, it is less unnerving to think about his fondness if the person was a woman. But understandably there's a wariness whenever he thinks that the gisaeng might be a man, will his interest be mere companionship? Or will he welcome it the same just like if the person is a woman? He tried not to think about it too much, after all his infatuation knows no name nor explanation, but when he starts losing sleep over it, he knows he's gone too far with his feelings.

  
\--

  
"The starry night is too beautiful it's painful to look at, is it the beauty of the stars or is it the fear of the darkness surrounding them do we see?" Clear, soft voice reciting a poem.

Jaehyun stared, forsaking the liquor in his cup to truly enjoy the beauty of the person and their words which flew with grace from the luscious, thin lips,

"we feel the darkness greater than the beauty which exist because we fear of the unknown than appreciating what was harmless."

Taehee turned to face him from their own pretty handwriting of a poem on the scroll, "Are we constantly scared then?"

"I think we are, but it's hard to admit being weak right? So we say we enjoy it, to ignore the fear within," he said, eyes no longer looking at the beautiful person in front of him and instead into the distance.

"Is being afraid means weakness?" The gisaeng sliding closer, bending the knees to their chest and hugs it.

"If it's not weakness, what is it? Do you think fear has other merit than proving that we're a coward?" He's laying down to rest his head on a pillow, turning a bit to stare at the person again.

"I would like to think fear exist so we can be less stupid and knows better before doing something which we could regret. They keep us alive longer and helps us grow into a better person, don't you think?" Taehee smiled.

Jaehyun thinks about it, deeply and he could somewhat understand, "what is cowardice then?"

"Good question," they hummed, "maybe... not wanting to understand or moving forward despite knowing better?"

Jaehyun frowned, "why wouldn't they? If they know better they wouldn't do that, right? Isn't that being stupid rather than being a coward?"

"Like hatred, many people hate without clear reason, they just did and try to justify it even though it's nonsense. Because they just want to feel good by denying which threatening them or something which they refuse to understand, right? I'm not talking about the fear which exist due to certain reasons, but fear which is mainly due to envy or ego which they denied to admit. Isn't that cowardice then?"

 _Is it cowardice then, if I fear to accept my infatuation for you because I don't know who you truly are?_ Jaehyun thought, slipping an arm under his head. "If it's like that, what do you think they should do to stop being a coward?"

"I don't know, that's up to them," Taehee shrugged, "for me, I'll try to understand it and be honest about it, no matter how scary it is."

He always appreciates this person's beautiful art, but at times like this, he really adores their mind, a strength which so profound and intelligence which many may envied, "I think more than the appearance, love grows from the acknowledge of how someone's minds work."

An eyebrow jerked up on Taehee's face, "Are you implying you're in love with my mind?" They chuckled.

Jaehyun snorted a laugh, "there's no words fit to describe what I want to say, but yeah, maybe in a way. I love to have such talks like this with you, they broaden my world and beliefs."

The gisaeng bit their lower lip to hide a smile, "You know, if you love my mind, that means you appreciate my true self, which I can't hide even though I'm doing a play. A soul can't hide after all, they'll flow out deliberately or not, so I'll take that as a compliment that you appreciate my person than what I may look like."

He turned to Taehee again, starring at each other for a quiet moment, "Are you doing a play right now?"

"Who knows?" They smiles, wide and warm, unconsciously leaning down to Jaehyun, "but I think I'm letting you see what's deep inside me."

"Since when?" Jaehyun whispered, a spot pulsating in his chest, their faces aren't too close, but enough to make him self conscious.

"Since you stopped asking who I really am and just enjoy arguing with me about poems and views on life."

His eyes fleeting from the wide, pretty eyes down to the pink lips, hand unconsciously reaching out to touch, which the person caught his wrist gently causing him to look up and see the smile adorning the face he came to adore, "and where do you think your eyes and hand wandering to, my Lord?"

"Are you hiding from me still?" He whispered, heart start picking up a pace when their faces grow closer that he could see the tiny mole on the person's lip.

"If I am?" Taehee whispered back, leaning down even closer.

"Would you show yourself to me then?"

They smiled, "what if it will disappoint you? Would you just leave me or would you make sure to make my life is a living hell?"

"And what disappointment would it be?" Jaehyun inhaled, lifting his head a bit to get even closer, tension filling the quiet room.

"It could be anything," Taehee whispered even lower, breath teasing Jaehyun's lips.

"As you said it, I'm attracted to your mind rather than what you may appear, will I get disappointed if I care more about your person?"

There's something twirling in their deep eyes and Jaehyun feel a bit regretful he couldn't read their mind. But then Taehee leaned down until their lips met, soft and fleeting, warmth easily forgotten when the person leaning away to stare into Jaehyun's eyes again. Taehee pulls at his wrist and placed it on their chest, attention intent on Jaehyun's expression as he's smoothing his hand on the silk gown, feeling heartbeats under his palm.

Jaehyun is very familiar with the feels of women, but this was different, the body he's allowed to touch feels very similar to his own. He knows not every woman always has full bosom, but it is undeniable that this was not the case. This is the body of a man which is hovering on him, he looks up to see Taehee still staring at him, as if waiting, as if calculating. He didn't miss seeing the fear within the dark eyes.

Strangely, there were no apprehension nor doubts when the words spilling out his lips in a whisper, "Taeyong..."

There's a small smile on the thin lips despite the fear, "will you beheaded me now that I'm not Taehee but instead Taeyong?"

He waits, looking into the eyes beyond what is seen, "there must be a reason as to why you allowed me to see you when you could have chosen to stay hidden, is there?" He whispered, gliding both his hands over the covered body that now he could feel the broad shoulder which is unmistakably a man.

"There is, as it is the hope that what I've seen and heard from you stay true even now," he exhaled slowly after a whisper, as if his chest is too full and eyes glistening with growing tears.

"I saw you first, Taeyong, way before I know Taehee. It was then when I first felt interest towards you, is that not answer enough?"

He chuckled softly, "I believed your interest was due to my brash words and curiosity to make me suffer."

"I think it's more fitting to say that I've taken an interest in the way you could speak your thoughts without fear and then..." he brings a hand to brush the black strands hanging over the beautiful pale face, "I fell for the way your mind works, no one have thoughts quite like you."

The person now Jaehyun could clearly address as Taeyong, smiling warmly much like a welcoming embrace, "and I could no longer deny the desire to truly be seen by you who could understand my thoughts."

Jaehyun sitting up bringing along Taeyong in his hold, keeping him there close to him, "does your desire runs only to be seen by me?"

Taeyong didn't reply right away, still staring into his eyes as if he's searching for the truth before he whispered, "tell me your name, my Lord."

He almost tells him his true name, but then he couldn't expose his identity like that even to Taeyong. Having his identity known isn't just about him, but also the people behind him and who to tell that Taeyong could accept the true him? With this man, Jaehyun want, longs to be just a man who chose to be drenched with what they could have. Like any normal people could have. And so, not without an ache in his heart, it was his turn to continue wearing his mask in Taeyong's presence.

"Yoonoh is my name, Taeyong."

"Yoonoh..." he whispered, slender, pale fingers slowly caressing his lips, eyes following the gesture, "kiss me Yoonoh-shii."

Without hesitation Jaehyun leaning forward to catch the slightly open supple lips with his, kissing the man in his embrace gently not yet diving too deep. But when there's arms coiling around his head, Jaehyun didn't waste a second longer to pry open the soft lips with his tongue and taste the hotness of Taeyong's mouth, something taste sweet inside that he couldn't hold himself back from kissing the man even deeper. His fingers digging into the long black hair while his other hand holding the lean waist, pushing forward until he have Taeyong panting under him.

A part of him questioning if what he's doing is right, to be with a fellow man like this, but his heart sings in honesty that nothing ever feels even close enough to how right being with Taeyong is. It feels natural, feels like this was what he's been searching for, like the place he belongs to. His chest caught fire when a leg hooking over his lower back and Taeyong kissing him back in fervor that soft moans pouring out his swelling lips.

"Yoonoh..." Taeyong lets out with an exhale to his mouth, "wait-"

 _Yoonoh_ , his name when he was just a person, the him who was still with passion and not the king that he is now with a cold heart. _Yoonoh_ , the person with warm heart and love. Yet, as liberated as he is, there's a feeling of wrongness hearing that name being called by Taeyong who's showing his true self risking everything even his life to him. But the worry abruptly dies when he feels a hardness poking at his lower stomach.

With a gasp Jaehyun leaning away to look down to their lower bodies, the bulge not really obvious due to the thick layers of clothes Taeyong is wearing, but it is undeniably there. When he looks back to the man's face who's under him, he sees red blooming in the usually pale face.

"I- I told you to wait," he muttered bashfully, hiding his face with both his hands, "I'm sorry, it just happens."

Jaehyun chuckled, kissing the hands before prying them away so he could look at his beautiful face, "it's cute how you're always so confident yet now you're being shy."

"Shut up..." he said in a sulking and embarrassed tone, pushing at Jaehyun's chest.

"It's okay, it's not only you," he whispered, kissing his lips again as he's grinding down, eliciting a mix of gasp and moan out of Taeyong when their hardness colliding together. Jaehyun brings his hand to Taeyong's chest, caressing the still clothed skin until suddenly he felt an electrical jolt running up to his right arm and burning exactly where the mark rest.

"What was that?" Taeyong asked in a surprised tone, eyes wide and his hand stroking his chest.

"You- you felt that too?" Jaehyun asked back no less surprised.

"Yeah, that felt like... I don't know, my chest feels burning, what was that?"

"I don't know..." Jaehyun replied, holding his right arm still feeling the burning under his skin.

"Is your arm hurting?"

"Yeah..." he's straightened up, surprise and worry toning down the desire within their guts.

"Why? Should I see it for you? We got medicine here..." Taeyong sitting up too.

 _No_ , he couldn't possibly show the mark, that will expose who he really is, "it's okay, maybe it's better for me to go home now."

Taeyong's eyes widened for a moment before something akin to sadness taking over his face, "so soon? Usually you stayed the night."

Jaehyun smiled, unease start creeping in his gut, "let's meet another time, Taeyong."

Something in the man's eyes softens at the call of his name, "yes, I would love to see you soon, Yoonoh-shii."

That was the first time they closed their night with a kiss instead a mere good night greeting.


	2. Moon Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut down there ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)

  
The heat of the moment, they will always be human's greatest weakness. Jaehyun had felt joy, surging happiness which renders him blind to reasons and doubts that he soak in the warmth which Taeyong's arms offered to his lonely soul. But came separation and long path home, rooms of questions and worry come to visit his mind. In the man presence, Jaehyun is nothing but a child given his most favorite sweets, unaware of unhealthy they could be or if should they be poisoned. Passion, severe the ties of reasons and rationality.

In the wake of sunlight trespassing his room, he sees not the light filling in the contour of his chamber but rather the darkness of shadows which elongated behind the grand furniture. Was what he did right? Did he really share a heat and kisses, which felt like a searing desire he never gifted to anyone but instead to a man who he didn't really know beside the wonders of his thoughts? All his life, he has only known of the love between a man and a woman, just like his wives to him, to whom he never finds the same passion he had felt towards Taeyong.

 _Is that right?_ He thinks and laments about it, _is this right?_ Without the warmth to touch and only memories to visit, doubts grew bigger that it feels like he's slipping away. At times like that, Jaehyun was driven to visit Taeyong in the flesh and just like before, the moment his eyes set upon the beautiful person, his hearts answers without doubt, _Yes, I want this, I want him_. Yet again, separation feeds him fear whenever he's alone in the darkness of his chamber. And when it goes on for long days into a month, unknown anxiety gnawing in his gut that he desperately came to visit his wives' chambers at some nights. They made him feel worse since comparison served him a strong contrast which almost made him throw up.

  
"Do you remember when we felt that spark?"

"Huh? What?" Jaehyun asked, turning around to see Taeyong staring at him weirdly since he was lost in thoughts.

"Where did you go, when I'm here with you?" He sighed softly, coiling an arm over Jaehyun's chest to pull him into a gentle embrace, "have I become so boring to you now that you're not here with me?"

"No... I'm sorry there were too many things I've been thinking, but I'm here with you," Jaehyun answered in a whisper, gripping the hand on his chest. An anchor it was.

"Really? You didn't even hear what I said," he chuckled, resting his chin on Jaehyun's shoulder,

"Are you sure you should be here? From what you said it seems you're busy."

"I couldn't rest if I'm not here..." it was honesty which he spoke, but held meaning which rings different without the knowledge.

"That's a really high compliment," Taeyong smiled, leaving a soft kiss to Jaehyun's ear, "then shouldn't you lay down and get some sleep than talking to me?"

"How could I waste time on sleeping when I could be staring at your beautiful face?" He said, turning back so he could kiss the plump lips over his shoulder, "You were saying something about a spark."

"What a charmer you are," Taeyong giggled, holding Jaehyun's face for a longer kiss to hide the blush on his cheeks, "when you touched me before, there was a spark we felt, right? My chest burns for a few days after that and there was something forming there."

"Forming? What was it?"

Taeyong slide away from behind Jaehyun to reach for the seam of his clothes, but then he stopped, giving the other man a look, "Am I really going to expose my bare chest to you when the sun has not set yet?"

That made Jaehyun laugh, "Are you worried that I'll jump you?"

"One could never be too careful with you, a charmer, you could try anything if you wanted," he grinned but it's so obvious he's feeling embarrassed.

"Not if you haven't given me the consent yet," Jaehyun chuckled and he sees, even when he's unable to read the man's mind, that what he had said caused an effect on Taeyong. It's apparent how touched and how greatly he appreciated his consideration.

"Why can't there be more people like you, Yoonoh-shii?" He whispered.

"What?"

"Then look," Taeyong said instead, peeling off the layers of his clothes one by one until his bare chest comes to view for Jaehyun to feast on.

In all honesty, Jaehyun didn't know where should he put his focus on. This is the first time that he's been graced by the gorgeous sight of the man's fair skin, a little darker compared to his own, seemingly unblemished. Taeyong didn't unveiled his clothes enough for his nipples to be seen, but Jaehyun did see the dark pinkish flesh peeking above the seam. Then, his eyes caught the redness over the chest, the only mark which obviously doesn't belong there on the fine skin. It brings a jolt to his heart, the mark is undeniably familiar.

"It just formed there out of the blue, it look like a burnt scar... But I don't think anything could caused this that day, what could this be?"

Jaehyun traces the red mark with his eyes, something twisting in his chest as he said, "it looks like... a fox."

"Kind of cool, isn't it?" He smiled, "I thought it was only me who think so, they look like a red painting of a fox."

The mark on Taeyong's chest, was nothing as big as his own mark on his arm. This one was only in the size of a big coin over the beating heart of the other man, still it's there, glaring back to him in search for answers, "have you been to a doctor?"

"I did, right away when it was starting to get redder, but he didn't have a clue either. Although, he said something interesting."

"And what would it be?" Jaehyun asked in a whisper, although attention solely on the red mark, anxiety accompanying his indecipherable swarm of thoughts.

"He said the king has something like this too, red mark like a burnt scar in a form of a fox," Taeyong smiled, peering up in amusement to him, without knowing the very same person he was addressing at was in front of him, "said that it was only the two of us who had these marks. I wonder what is this?"

Jaehyun swallowed through the tightness in his throat, fingers still caressing the uneven red mark on the otherwise smooth skin, "I wonder what..."

"Are you not afraid to touch it?"

"Why?" He finally looks up to see Taeyong staring at him intently.

"We didn't even know if this mark an illness or something else, what if it's a contagious skin disease? Are you so willing to touch it because it didn't cross your mind?"

Perhaps Jaehyun would be, if he didn't know better. But what he was sure about, was that he triggered the red mark on Taeyong, there was no other explanation for that, "I don't seem to mind if it's you."

Taeyong softly laughed, "you're really something, don't blame me when regret comes to you along with the same illness, okay?"

 _If only you know Taeyong, it is more fitting to say I'm the contagious one and you suffer the end of it_ , Jaehyun thought. But, how could it be? There were times when he got even closer to his wives than he did with Taeyong, yet never was such thing happened. What made Taeyong so different? Is it because his heart was in it? In the touches he wishes to share with this man? Is it emotions then, which stirs his unknown mark?

"Hey," Taeyong calls, causing Jaehyun to gaze into his eyes again, something hit deeper and differently in his voice, like the dark eyes which shows a depth hard to describe but felt so strongly through the wake of goosebumps on Jaehyun's body. "Don't touch me like that."

He didn't realize he was touching Taeyong in a way which could be understood in different meaning, the realization caused fire to slither in his fingers up to his entire body and almost recoil his hand out of reflex. But Taeyong's eyes tell a different story than what he has said, to which Jaehyun dared himself to keep his hand lingers on his chest, "how did I touch you?"

"Like you want to burn me instead of soothing me," he whispered, eyes never leaving the other pair of eyes, his body leveraging on both arms from the rather soft matted floor.

Jaehyun's heart taking up a faster pace when the other man straightened up even more that they're only inches apart, "would you let me?" He whispered.

Taeyong inhales softly, almost unseen, but the bite to his lower lip was obvious on display, "You have my permission to proceed, Yoonoh-shii."

It is strange, peculiar to his ears that he needs someone's permission when almost all his life he need none since his status stand above everyone and everything. But this is right, this, with Taeyong, feels right. As much as it rouse questions whether his affection lies in the wish to feel ordinary or does it manifested solely because the wonders that is Taeyong?

His fingers sliding upon the white expanse, chest aching at the quiver he felt to his fingertips and lips blooming like desire running his veins, wishing for a kiss which he has to wait to savor the sight and the feel of the smooth skin. The burning in his chest become greater when Taeyong's eyelids fluttering close and chest heaving affected under his still curious touch. They're still only testing the surface, to search for lines to grasp or deny, but there was none of it when Jaehyun let his hand wander under the seam, slightly come in contact with the hardened dark pinkish flesh.

A quiet moan flew out from Taeyong's mouth, sending Jaehyun's reason into the abyss that he rushes forward without hesitation to catch those moan with his lips, feverish, dragging them down his throat and dancing in his gut. Arms immediately wrapping his body sparking fire under their skin and the room filled with soft moans. He's sliding his hands deeper under the other man's clothes, caressing the slope of his stomach and the bumps of Taeyong's spine.

"Touch me, Yoonoh-shii," he breathed to his lips, mingling over their sensitive face like caresses before they are tasting each other again.

At the request, Jaehyun let one of his hand wander down to expose the bare skin of the man's thighs, eliciting a rather embarrassed yet excited whine out of the plump lips. Mildly he wonders, how could this man's skin feel so good and tender to his touch? Fingers inching upward into the moist, dark heat between the quivering thighs. Taeyong keens when Jaehyun enveloping his hardness with his palm, increasing the frequency of his moans along with the tightening of his hands around Jaehyun's shoulder as if he is Taeyong's lifeline to stop him from falling deeper into the debauched pleasure. So hot, so hard and heavy within his hold Taeyong is and there's not even a grain of doubt as lust raging in his ribcage.

The gesture was reciprocated with a touch to his own hard arousal, eliciting similar moans like Taeyong's, rumbling out his chest. It is unfamiliar to both of them, they could only have a mind to share kisses as their hands keep going like they thought it should be lest the flame die down and they are left speechless to fill the awkwardness. Jaehyun is no stranger to intimate touches, but it is the first for him touch a fellow man, meanwhile for Taeyong everything was new and he was high in sensitivity, craving for more despite the anxious fear of doing something wrong or unsightly.

"Yoonoh-shii," Taeyong keep chanting breathlessly, like an anchor to soothe his uncertainty yet also to fuel the stirring flame.

The feel of the other man against him is so hot to his skin, like flame licking into his flesh in the best way and heart growing restless in deafening drums, of wings forcing their way out his gut, twisting in madness with a rhythm only could be heard in their moans and low gasps. _Tell, tell,_ feels like his heart telling him something as their hands keep touching, pulling and pushing, lips devouring and licking every skin they can reach. How does air from the lungs, could be tasted on their tongues? And the flesh under their touches, be felt more than their physical bodies are. Does their hearts intertwining in such earthly passion which transcended heaven?

A loud high pitched moan soaring from Taeyong's gaping mouth, burst of colors accompanying the whiteness beneath his eyelids, gasping for air at the same time the twist in his abdomen being released explosively. Jaehyun watched everything being unveiled in front of him, intensity mounting as harsh breath fanning his face with the filthiest yet most beautiful sounds. The gorgeous red flushed face and swollen lips opening like roses in the morning, thin sweat glistening like diamonds, bringing him to the edge and comes with it was the same explosion which had racked Taeyong's slim body, strained moans dripping out and pooling together at their trembling lips bridged by a string of saliva.

Fading was the intensity like the leveling of their heaving breaths after the shattering climax, bones and muscles losing tension that they fell forward to each other, foreheads pressed together. At first there was quiet, until laughter bubbling up the residual heat in the room. Each one of their hands laying awkwardly on their bare thighs, tainted white and wet from their quick yet intense passion.

Taeyong look to him shyly before looking elsewhere still with an embarrassed smile, "I... that was..."

"This is awkward," Jaehyun admitted with a smile.

He giggles cutely, "yeah... I don't know what to say in this moment..." he's scratching his nape obviously nervous and uncomfortable to look at him, before his eyes widened and looking away again with an even redder face, "uh... that, you- your chin..."

"My chin?" Reflexively he bring his hand up to his chin, touching thick wetness there, pulling away to see what it was only to feel shame growing rapidly. He didn't know whose it was, the white liquid, but from the consistency he's almost sure it wasn't his.

"I'm- I'm sorry, I didn't realize- I don't know it- it could fly that far, I-" Taeyong stuttered with a dark red face, hands flailing about in panic and shame.

"It's fine, it's fine, don't worry about it," Jaehyun said dismissively, he didn't know what he's feeling right now. This never happened to him, women aren't like this, it should have been obvious from when he touched the hard arousal in his hand, so much like his own. Yet, clouded by lust in the heat of the moment, it seems to slip his mind in the chase of the promised release. But _now_ , now the wetness on his fingers glaring evidently at him. He's been with a man, this wasn't just almost. _He did_. Now, again, fear takes place in the corner in his heart.

_Just what is he doing?_

"I think," he swallowed, sweat gathering on his temple with different reason than a few moments ago, "I suppose I need to be on my way home now."

"What? Why?" Surprise was the first Jaehyun could decipher in Taeyong's voice, gradually it is apparent he feels wronged by his sudden reaction, "Are you regretting this? ...regretting us?" Oh clever Taeyong, he's too good at reading people that it is painful.

"No, no Taeyong," he hastily denied, holding the man's face with his other hand which spared from the result of their passion, "no I don't regret... This. There's just... I'm not quite sure myself, I feel confused."

"Confused? Is that all you feel for me? Momentary confusion and curiosity?"

"Don't... It's not that, Taeyong. This is... my first, to feel like this and to be with a man, I don't feel confusion with what I feel towards you, but it's does feel jarring to me to feel so strongly about you," he didn't want to lay it out wrongly, but what Taeyong asked him does leave a bitter taste of truth gnawing at his conscience.

Taeyong give him a look, hurt and betrayal thick in his tone that his whisper also inflicted pain to Jaehyun, "do you think you're the only one who feel so?"

"I'm sorry I... I need time, let's talk another time-"

"Will there even be another time after I let you be with your thoughts?"

Who's to say? Words can run deep and he has nothing to say before he fled from the place, from the man who he believed he loves, "I'm sorry."

Truthfully, Taeyong had hoped that Jaehyun would give a different kind of answer, not like that which gives no hope and instead bringing alive fear that what they have is over. It does seem so with the way Jaehyun left him like that, with nothing as much as an assurance of coming back. Why did he let his feelings swayed him? After all, it's about another man who he didn't even know who he's truly are. A man who's definitely not a commoner while he's never more than a slave to the country. That's the reason why many men of higher status never touch a gisaeng, because they aren't considered people with only their lowest status visible for the blue blooded eyes, are they? What makes him think that Jaehyun was any different? To a man like himself nonetheless, a nameless nobody to the system.

If he feels hurt, betrayed, used and cried that night, he only has his naivety to blame.

On Jaehyun's part, he couldn't sleep on his turmoil and the awareness that he must have hurt Taeyong. He shouldn't have let his feelings get the best of him before rearranging his thoughts and make sure of his heart, even though the love which he feels are very true. But is it such a love strong enough for him to forsake everything he had known all his life? When he's with Taeyong they does feel right, but now, after what they had done even with Taeyong does his heart speak doubts. And he has no clue how to erase it when he want to soak in it without fear.

For two weeks later, Jaehyun didn't visit nor stay in contact with Taeyong. He couldn't, not when he's not sure enough where will his heart lie at, the life which he know or a life which is foreign and not without risk at the blessing of Taeyong's warmth and heart? He couldn't even function well at his duties as king, how could he be so incompetent at the feet of Taeyong's drench of warm rain? If he lets this grow, would it jeopardize him or would he gain more than he could ever think of?

Even when he locked himself in the palace library, the written words on the parchment which he needed to work on, are just letters passing through unable to comprehend as his mind is elsewhere. But his faux serenity was broken one day when he was with books no one should see him with and come in the library was no other than Youngho. He supposed one of these days someone would confront him at the lack of improvement in his works, he just didn't expect that someone would be Youngho.

"You're lucky you're not the one at Minhyung's mercy of never ending bitchiness and nagging, my ears are hanging about to fall off at his constant screeching about you, your majesty," he emphasized his title with a distaste.

Jaehyun couldn't help chuckling dryly at the words spoken, "my apologies, I do try to be done with it, but my mind seems to sabotage me."

"You were doing so fine before, even better to be honest, but suddenly you're lagging so much, what could have happened to you?" Youngho sit down at one of the chairs near them. "I'm here partly as his messenger and mostly as your friend, maybe I can lend an ear to your trouble and if fate allows, help you with it."

"I can see why he sent you rather than Doyoung, as compassionate as he is, his judgement isn't always flexible to mine."

"I'm very flexible, perhaps even the most flexible than all the people here, so shoot, what's on your mind? What are you reading?" Youngho reach out for one of the books, fast in his movement that Jaehyun didn't have the time to stop him. The cover was enough to tell to which Youngho's eyes widened in shock and gradual realization, "passion between men? Books filled with knowledge about sodomy? Why the fuck you... shit, Jaehyun, that person was a man, wasn't he? That's why you're reading these... illustrations and paintings of... Men wrestling, uh."

Jaehyun let out a long sigh, "they're not wrestling."

"Duh, no one wrestles in nude, definitely a different kind of wrestling," Youngho snorted, "if you're reading this, then it wasn't just curiosity to know their gender. You're troubled... with feelings."

"Nothing can get pass you," he sighed again, sitting down beside Youngho, "it is as you said and I'm tormented in my waking and sleeping hours whether what I'm doing is right. I don't think I even slept properly these days."

Youngho is staring at him in silence, as if thinking for a judgement to give, but Jaehyun knows the man that he shouldn't be wary to speak the truth and he hears nothing of his mind which ring hostility, "is it love? Or is it merely fleeting attachment?"

"I never feel quite the same with anybody else than when I'm with him, what do you think that is?"

"Well fuck," Youngho coughed and rubbing his face in worry, "it could be anything but knowing you, and the fact that you even read all these... books, I know enough that this is no play."

"No, it isn't," Jaehyun admitted with no struggle, "if it was, I wouldn't bother letting it fill my head and would deliberately avoid seeing him again. But even now, my feet yearns to run to him and my heart seek an answer."

"Damn, Jaehyun, stop that, it gives me the shiver to hear you speak mushy like that," Youngho shuddered, sighing in exasperation after beats of silence, "Well, I'm not one to think too deeply when the heart already speak itself, why not just follow yours? Wrong or right, it's just people's own perspective, you have your own. Besides, it's just the same old love in the end, it wasn't just you. If it was, those books and painting scrolls wouldn't exist. I bet those kind of love existed long before history made themselves, people just reluctant to acknowledge what was not normal for them. But what is normal? I think normal is being who you truly are."

In all honesty, Jaehyun is aware Youngho is a deep thinker despite his nonchalant attitude, he heard them passing the man's mind from time to time, but still he's taken back by how wise and open Youngho could be, "your words truly-"

' _As long as you don't hurt or harm anyone that is.'_

"...open my doors," Jaehyun said after he heard the man's thought, "you're right, it shouldn't matter as long as I hurt no one."

"Exactly, you're not hurting anyone, right? So why the confusion? If you have no idea how men do it, you could have explore it together rather than relying on these unreliable books..." He look again to the paintings, "Well maybe it's not totally unreliable... so you do it there, huh. Interesting, that's possible?"

Jaehyun laughed heartily at the question, "I wouldn't have known if I didn't read these, apparently it is possible after you make considerable amount of preparation."

"What preparation? And... are you going to be the one to take it? That seems painful, you really should do plenty preparation," Youngho snickers.

He rolled his eyes, "oh hush."

  
\--

  
He couldn't waste another day to see Taeyong again, for listening and following his heart now, he burns in the urge and yearning to seal it with certainty. This time, Minhyung was more than reluctant to let him go from the palace since duties obviously neglected, but with the promise that Jaehyun will without fail finish it soon, the palace advisor eventually let him go. Like the previous visits, Doyoung and Youngho was to accompany his journey down to the establishment, but he reasoned that they should go back and pick him up tomorrow morning since he believes that night he needs privacy without the knowledge of their presence around.

Yet, he was denied entry by no other than the Haengsu gisaeng herself because Taeyong wasn't willing to meet him, "I'm terribly sorry that I couldn't let you see Taehee tonight, my Lord, she's not in a good condition for any kind of visit."

"Did she tell you that she doesn't want to see me? I completely understand that there was a personal conflict between us to which she may wish not to see me, but please do tell her what I brought with me today was nothing unpleasant," Jaehyun insisted.

The lady was obviously hesitant, "my Lord-"

"Or is she, truly ill? If she is, then please let me through, I have to see her and give her my wish for her well being personally," he bowed his head much to the lady's surprise, never was a person of higher status bow to them who's on the lowest hierarchy.

"Oh my Lord, you don't have to do this, I-" she panicked, unsure until she realized that Jaehyun will not take any step away before he see Taehee. With a heavy sigh, she finally said, "you may come in, my Lord, but please do not pressure her too much since she's unwell."

"You have my word, madam," he smiled in relief, motioning for his guards to walk back home. Then the lady leads him through the hallways which he never set foot in, apparently he was not brought to the designated room they always used previously.

"It is unfortunate that I have to bring you to her private chamber since she's not in condition to move about, my Lord, please forgive any unsightly view your eyes might set upon," the lady said.

 _He's really sick?_ Jaehyun pondered, "Don't mind me, I'm fine with anything as long as I can see her."

Suddenly, he caught the smell of pine trees, like a forest in mist and honeydew surrounded by wet leaves. The scent is pleasant, if not calming and welcoming, yet there's something about it which stirs something down in his bosom. It's almost like butterflies in his stomach when he was kissing Taeyong, it rouse desire and lust. _What could this be?_ "Did you burn some incense?" They said there's a kind with aphrodisiac effect which Jaehyun guessed this scent was as such.

"No, we don't, there might be at the front, but we don't use them here in the living quarters," the lady turned to give him a confused look, "Did you perhaps smell something, my Lord?"

"Yes, I smell something like pine trees... and perhaps camellias, it's rather strong I could almost taste it in my throat," he frowned, a similar sense of clouds filling in his mind.

"There's nothing like that, my Lord, I don't have the slightest idea what could that be," she stares at him intently, waiting in front of a sliding door, "Are you alright, my Lord? You seem a bit off."

What is this scent? Jaehyun didn't only smell it, he feels it, burning within like an incessant buzzing with an urge to run, to let go. "I'm alright, is this her chamber?"

"Yes, although it seems she's sleeping," the lady peeked in through the smallest gap of the door, "perhaps it'll be ideal to wait-"

"I'll wait inside, I promise you have my word, madam, I wouldn't touch nor pressure her in any way you're worried about."

After a moment of silence, the woman eventually nodded and be on her way after saying, "please take care of her, my Lord."

Jaehyun waits at the door, not yet opening it to ready his heart and the words he wants to say to better deliver his yearn and wishes. But right at the moment he opens the door, the scent which he's been smelling, comes flooding out and smother him thoroughly. It almost chokes him, the room was thick with the scent and with it a switch of his primal instinct seems to flip on.

He sees Taeyong sleeping in futon with his back facing him. Jaehyun slide the door closed, kneeling down much due to the scent infusing his head, "Taeyong?"

There's a feel of sweat seeping in the material of his robe, head floating and a low burning in his gut. Is this scent he's smelling coming from Taeyong? Is it related to the sudden change of his body condition? Why?

"Yoonoh-shii?"

He looks up, trying to focus his mind, realizing Taeyong had called him without turning to see him, "Yes, it's me, Taeyong."

"How did you get in here? I've told them I don't want to meet anyone," he said softly, still unmoving seemingly refuse to see or be seen by Jaehyun.

"The Haengsu let me in, I was worried about you," he coaxed.

"Mother did?" Finally, Taeyong rises from the futon, slightly turning around to look at Jaehyun in the eyes. "God, is that your smell?"

"She's your mother?" Jaehyun asked in mild surprise, until he realized that Taeyong asked him another question, "Are you smelling pine trees and camellias? In that case that's not mine, the Haengsu doesn't seem to know anything about it too."

"She's my foster mother, she took me in when she found me thrown away somewhere," he sighed, skin rather red with sweat lingering thinly, "no, it smells like... raw cinnamon, woody yet... sweet."

Jaehyun try to sniff himself but he didn't smell anything other than the sharp, fresh pine trees, "it seems we're smelling different things. How are you feeling? Are you okay? You seem like you have a fever."

"It's coming from you... the scent, it smells good..." He inhales deeply with closed eyes, shoulder visibly shuddering as he bites at his lower lip, "I've been feverish since two days ago but that's none of your concern, why are you here?"

The sight in front of him, of Taeyong's flushed skin and dark damp hair sticking to his forehead, teeth seductively digging into the supple flesh of his vibrant lips and the calming yet irresistible scent, ignites the inferno in the depths of his groin even more. Like a starving man deluded into desire at the sight of bewitching mirage, chasing after the strong, almost uncontrollable greed. The scent must be playing with his head, why suddenly such scorching sin shimmering within his entire body?

But Jaehyun will himself to focus on the man in front of him, there's still much to say, "I've come to you because I have something to tell you."

"There's should be no more visit if you only wish to say farewell, my Lord, leave it as it is and anyone would have known the ties are severed. I don't welcome such unpleasant conversation, as it is that you should be on your way now," he scoffed, lifting the blanket on his lap about to hide in his futon again before Jaehyun denied his claim.

"No! I've come here to tell you that I'm yearning for you, Taeyong," he said in haste, successfully stopping Taeyong from turning his back at him.

The man stills for long seconds without saying anything, until, "please do not give hope on what was to end."

"I do not hope nor wish for this to end, Taeyong. I hope, and I pray that what we have and could have would never end, and it is honesty I'm speaking. I may not know for sure whether this yearning of mine is love since never have I felt so strongly to anybody else, but if you must, you're the only one I ever feel so close to it," he stated firmly.

Taeyong still has his face turned away from him, but he could see the soft tremble of the man's shoulder, "only me? How can you be sure there will be only me? What if it's only for a fleeting moment where I'll be the one to be left with no path to return?"

"Nobody... can be sure of what will happen in the future, but I'm sure in the present that what I feel, that the yearns in my heart for you is as true as it can be and I have no intention to stop it."

"I'm a man..."

"I'm aware, I saw and felt it," Jaehyun smiled despite the serious situation.

"I'm a man and there will be a time when you'll have your wife and I'll be forgotten," Taeyong said with a voice a little louder than a whisper.

He's not sure if he should tell Taeyong that he's with wives already, but he supposed he could say, "I will never forget you, ever. If what people said about first love never forgotten, then it is impossible for me to forget you, not to mention what I feel for you didn't seem to be willing to go anywhere for a long time."

There's a chuckle, then finally Taeyong turn his face to be seen by Jaehyun, eyes rather red and damp with sorrow tainted in it, "you're so evil, said all these and it's just words I can't be sure whether if it's true or not."

"Then let me show you, the weight of what I feel for you and the length I'll go to nurture it. Please Taeyong, don't you want to have _us_?" He plead, so very strange that his first time to beg or ask permission, were always for Taeyong, a strong emotions he will never have another chance to in the future. Because there's only one Taeyong and only him to whom he feel such heaviness in his soul.

Taeyong rises to his knees, coming closer and stop right in front of him, not yet touching and eyes searching still for an answer to believe in, "do you love me, Yoonoh-shii?"

This time Jaehyun didn't ask for permission to take Taeyong's hands in his, he longs for the warmth and he hopes for the touch to instill his determination and truth, "Yes, I love you, Taeyong. Strange as it may but I do, feel so strongly for you that even at the sight of you my heart is aching."

Taeyong took a shuddering breath, sitting down on his heels and squeezing the hands in his, "can you at least promise me, that you won't run away from me anymore?"

"Never again, I will never again run away from you nor my heart. Please forgive me for being such a coward before, I'm regretful, but now you have me, all of me," he brings the hands to his lips, kissing every knuckles so tenderly that his chest feels racked with longing he never thought he's capable of feeling.

"Maybe I'm stupid," Taeyong whispered, "There's so many reasons to let you go, yet I don't want to."

"Then don't, let's just be stupid together and be right for each other," he whispered back, about to intertwine their fingers, but Taeyong let go to trail his fingers on his shoulder, caressing so slowly up his neck.

"Then kiss me, Yoonoh. Kiss me like you mean it."

"I do," Jaehyun breathed before leaning in to kiss his lips gently, chaste and soft. He reaches for the other man's chest, smoothing his palm on the ocean blue gown and it was the warmth underneath he chases, coiling his fingers around the slender arms and bring him to lay down. Lips still yearning and brushing together until slowly he's opening the luscious ones against him with his tongue, welcomed without restrain.

"Don't treat me like your women," Taeyong whispered, so vulnerable under him, warm hand caressing Jaehyun's cheek like a plea, like affection seeking a resting place.

"I never treat any woman nor man like I treated you, Taeyong," he gaze into the sorrow in the man's dark eyes, both his hands cradling his head in the same emotions Taeyong feels towards him, if perhaps not greater.

"And how, did you treat me?"

"Like there's only one you, a precious which could never be replaced. You made me feel like just a man, a person with flaws and could be better despite it."

There's a bit of lights lit up in Taeyong's eyes at the words, coming alive as he whispers, "Are we not capable to stand on the ground when one is too high or too low?"

"Because whether we fly or swim, we longs for something to belong to," he answered in equal whisper and honesty.

"Do you? Belongs to me?" Taeyong holds his face, thumbs stroking at his cheeks ever so tenderly.

"I belong to you, Taeyong. And do you belong to me?" He's leaning down even closer, letting their breath touch their skin.

"I'm yours, Yoonoh," he replied before a soft kiss.

"Your body feels like it's on fire," Jaehyun breathed out amidst their kiss, speaking out his worry in between, "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"I am sick," Taeyong whispered, arms harrowing at his back, pulling him closer, tighter into himself, "and you are my cure, so touch me. Take me, Yoonoh, give me everything."

His chest rumbling out a groan, liquid fire running and dripping out, reawakening the heat which been stirring in his gut previously. He dips in to inhale the scent on the crook of Taeyong's neck, "this is so- the smell of pine trees is coming from you."

"You... smells like musky cinnamon to me," Taeyong breathed, titling his head letting Jaehyun kissing his neck while his pale hands tracing Jaehyun's broad back, "your smell is both soothing and making me crazy."

"I feel the same," he moaned, slipping his fingers under the collar of the other man's gown, "may I strip you?"

"Yes, do whatever you wish," Taeyong exhales, so softly yet audibly trembling, trying to pull off the robe on Jaehyun too.

Jaehyun have almost stopped him from opening his robe, until he remembers that he had covered his marked arm with a skin tight sleeve. Although he does it slowly, he couldn't wait enough to shed the gown off Taeyong when the man successfully strips his torso bare. Such a contrast their skin colors are, Taeyong's skin appear much darker when within his own pale, porcelain skin, like a lone star in the dark of dusk. Maybe Taeyong is, the light in his rather dim life, what is power and wealth when his heart yearning for a life that is ordinary much like the feel of this man in his arms. A very different circumstances, yet they longs for the same freedom.

He had seen a glimpse of Taeyong's body before, but it wasn't at all like what he thought it would be. Covered in loose and thick layers of the gown, the man always seems slim and delicate enhanced by the way his golden skin radiates beauty. But without it, his body actually rather muscular with wide shoulders, rippling muscles adorning his abdomen almost like his own. Everything about Taeyong always feels new to Jaehyun, but bestowed by the sight in front of him provides a passionate dark lust he almost afraid to let it be shown. The fog filling his head induced by the enticing fresh scent gives an urge to ruin, to wreck the man thoroughly and claim all of him only as his.

"Shit," he grunts in frustration, trying to suppress the twisted desire.

"Yoonoh... what's wrong with your arm?" Taeyong whispered, stroking the sleeved arm carefully, afraid to hurt.

"Nothing, it's just there to secure the muscles, this arm tends to get sore," he kissed Taeyong's cheek, not stopping his hands to wander down and revealing the smooth, slim thighs around his waist, feeling them directly to his palms.

Taeyong moaned with head thrown back, even the slightest touch to his sensitive skin seems to affect him, "is it- is it okay to lean so much on your arms then?" He said with slight difficulty due to the weight of Jaehyun's bare torso pressing on his equally bare upper body, if not also due to the effect of desire constricting his lungs.

"You want to do this by laying on our sides?" He grinned.

Taeyong blushing more even though he was infused with red enough from the fever, "I mean... I could be the one on top if you want, and we're not even on the futon-"

His words cut off when Jaehyun suddenly lift him up bodily and transfer him onto the said futon gently, "is this better?"

"I- do I weight nothing to you?" He asked flustered and obviously even more aroused by the sudden display of strength.

"You weight like my whole world," Jaehyun whispered, licking inside the hot mouth, holding the delicate nape with one hand and the other trailing upwards the naked thigh and slipping through the hanging gown over the waist to grab the smooth slope of the man's back. Their body slotted together perfectly, a fit made for each other and Jaehyun relish on how right the man feels within his arms. His heart beats harder when he feels the shudder of the smaller body against him, impatience dancing in his groin.

"I'm crazy enough," Taeyong groaned into the kiss, his hands caressing all over the back side of his body, thighs tighten around him, the same impatience, same burning lust, "You don't have to stir me crazier with your words, Yoonoh-shii."

Rationality tells him that Taeyong need more preparation for what he have in mind, but Jaehyun can't wait, he just can't when his head floating that much driven by agonizing thirst. Readily he sneaks in his hand inside Taeyong's undergarment to grip at the small, yet plump globe, fit perfectly within his hold. A gasp fell directly on his ear when he dips in his fingers to part the cheeks, fingertips carefully touching the rim.

"Yoonoh-shii," Taeyong exhales with ragged breath, seemingly surprised and confused, his fingers twisting in Jaehyun's robe, "why- why are you touching there?"

"I have to prepare you here," a soft moan drip out of his lips when Taeyong subconsciously lifting one of his legs to rest on his hip, granting him more access to slip in his finger deeper, so tight that he's afraid it might not be possible, "between men, this is where we do it."

"Oh," the man blushed in shame, bringing a hand to his lips to bite the finger, taken aback by the new found information, "but- but it's dirty- _ah_ ," he moans a little louder.

"You're not dirty," Jaehyun whispered, confusion visiting his mind despite being filled with urgency to take the man, "Taeyong, you're wet.. How come you're wet here?"

"What?" Taeyong gasped, biting his finger harder when the finger inside him twisting even deeper, "ah wait, what is this I- that feels so-"

"Does it hurt?" He asked, still confused why Taeyong is wet inside. Do men become wet like women do?

"No, but _ah_... it feels weird... Maybe it feels good, I don't know," he grabs Jaehyun's head frantically when another finger getting inside, moaning unable to stop, "oh god, that feels- _ah!_ "

Abruptly the scent of pine trees blasting stronger from Taeyong, along with a gush of slick rolling down Jaehyun's fingers, rim clenching tighter and he didn't miss the way the man's hard arousal twitching over his own, the slender body shuddering. Jaehyun look up to see Taeyong's face, so red and aroused with closed eyes and gaping mouth.

"Taeyong, did you just come?"

"No... no," he breathed with short gasps, holding his face to kiss him sloppily, "I don't know, I feel so hot, I want more. Please touch me more."

The question why Taeyong seem to orgasm and wetting like woman seem to fly out his head at the alluring display, holding the man's nape strongly to kiss him with hunger like no man ever has. He grinds down hard to rub their arousals together, eliciting more moans for him to swallow in, spreading the pale thighs even wider with his waist and stretching open the drenched rim with another finger. Taeyong scream out as three fingers jabbing inside, trembling legs hooking at Jaehyun's lower back, chest heaving with irregular waves of shivers.

"Yoonoh-shii, Yoonoh-shii, oh Yoonoh..." he keeps chanting accompanied by increasing moans, "please Yoonoh-shii, please."

"Please what, Taeyong?"

"I don't know... I don't know, please just touch me, touch me," was his pleas.

"I am touching you, love," Jaehyun whispered with a chaste kiss, licking down the chin to trail little kisses on the neck and fluttering chest, tongue flat over the erect nipple. He twists his wrist and the reaction was immediate, Taeyong went spasm with a silent scream, nails digging into the flesh of his shoulder.

" _Yoonoh-!_ " He moaned brokenly, ejaculating to their stomach.

So strongly the man was affected, that like wildfire Jaehyun almost come from the sight alone, the way his fingers soaked and warmth painting his bare abdomen with white. He had thought that with such orgasm Taeyong will go limp, but Jaehyun see and feel the way the man's arousal is not in the slightest bit withered. In fact, Taeyong seems to burn hotter in lust asking for more, embracing him tighter and pulling off his robe completely of his body.

"Give it to me, take me Yoonoh-shii, please take me now," he said deliriously, feverish from his uncontrollable desire.

Unable to hold back what's with his head seemingly stuffed with anesthesia and aphrodisiac, Jaehyun lift both Taeyong's legs to spread wider and thrusting in one swing, a tiny rational part of him got surprised of how easy the slide was, as if Taeyong was meant to take him. Animalistic groan rumbling out his chest the same time Taeyong half screaming and half moaning out loud, hands painfully gripping his shoulder and neck, his legs hanging open in the air that his body bending so much his back is strained. But the pleasure, the heat clouding Taeyong's senses that all he could feel was the searing pleasure from how thick and hard Jaehyun is inside him.

"Oh fuck," Jaehyun moaned equally loud from how good it feels inside Taeyong, so hot and clenching repeatedly around him as if sucking him deeper, "fuck you feels so good..."

"Yoonoh... shii," Taeyong gasped, running his damp palms over the firm chest and taut stomach to hold on Jaehyun's waist, "you're so hard inside me, ah... you feel so good to me too."

Out of instinct, Jaehyun couldn't stop the way his waist rocking by itself, breathing out heavily he's bending down to kiss Taeyong deeply, voice broken when he said, "Don't stir me even more Taeyong, or I'll wreck you I swear, you're feeding my obsession."

"Wreck me, I never said you can't, I'm not fragile," Taeyong whispered with a low chuckle, got surprised and maybe with a little bit of regret when Jaehyun bending his body even more to the point his knees meeting his chest and start thrusting hard without mercy, "Yoonoh-shii! _Oh-!"_

"You and your scent, driving me insane," he grunts out, pounding in relentlessly, "fuck, _fuck-!"_

"Ah _ah-!"_ Taeyong throw his head back, body arching like a bow ready to snap and his entire body washes by intense orgasm the moment he feels warmth filling inside him. Jaehyun pouring in still with rapid, short thrusts, claiming him completely.

Their bodies go limp at the fading high, Taeyong breathed out tiredly as his legs was let go and falling down to the futon, face turned away letting Jaehyun catch his breathing while kissing his shoulder and neck languidly. He didn't seem to mind that Jaehyun is still inside, until eventually he realized the man's weight on him is getting unbearable.

"Yoonoh-shii... you're heavy," he whispered, exhausted.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jaehyun quickly straightened up despite his body feels boneless, only when he's pulling out that he become aware he had lost his head in his lust, "oh god, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have come inside you."

Taeyong stay unmoving, only tilting his head a bit to stare back at him, "why, is that bad...?"

"No, just... it'll be harder to clean up," Jaehyun swallows when he sees white liquid dripping out the red, swollen rim, "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"It's not like I'm a woman, I won't get pregnant," he chuckled, bringing his fingers to touch at the wetness between his legs, knees lifted up and spread beautifully for Jaehyun to witness his lean fingers slipping in, "oh... this feels-"

"Stop that Taeyong," Jaehyun hissed out, "Don't do that if you don't want me to go crazy again."

Taeyong lift his head just enough to clearly see Jaehyun kneeling between his legs, eyes easily discover the waking of the other man's arousal. His gut twisting with burning lust again, as if it never stops, "then do it."

With a groan Jaehyun bending down and hovering the man, rearing to go again, "Don't blame me if you get hurt."

"Then treat me gently, my Lord," he teases.

That night, they let their heart speak and desire to devour what they could feel and taste until the morning comes.

  
\--

  
From the tip of the fine brush, black ink seeping into the yellowish parchment to form letters, flowing like rivers yearning for the sea from the elegance his hand was well taught to be. Once again peace resides within that Jaehyun could to keep the tranquility to stay in the rooms of his mind after being absent due to the unrelenting images of pale skin and silky dark hair. Even as he does his duties, it is not without the presence of pretty big eyes and beautiful lips passing his thoughts. But this time, they're welcomed with a smile and not as hindering as they're quite distracting.

  
_"You want to teach me how to write and read?"_

_"Yes," Jaehyun had said, tucking the stray long hair behind the white milky ear. "Your curious and open mind have a very big potential and I want you to widen them more, I know how vastly they could go. And I know you'll appreciate knowledge more than anything else I could give you, will you not?"_

_Taeyong give him a confused yet intrigued look, "I know how to read and to write, although maybe not as well as you, nobles."_

_"Oh, I apologize, I shouldn't be assuming things before-"_

_"But the thought of knowing more do please me, a lot."_

_He had thought Taeyong would get angry after offending him like that, but the man was always so honest, so open and that's exactly why he fell so hard for him, "I'll bring you books to read the next time I come, then."_

_"Will you really do that?" Taeyong grinned with twinkling eyes, looking so happy that also made Jaehyun happy, "nobles like you really do have privileges to access many books like that, huh?"_

  
The brush halt and the small smile over Jaehyun's lips fading at the remembrance. In the silence of his study and unheard thoughts of people, his own are too loud to ignore. Until now, he never reveals who is he truly are to Taeyong, even though the man had shown him his true self without defense. How unfair it is for him to stay oblivious, hiding in the kindness and understanding that Taeyong give, for him to tell on his own account. How much longer will he take advantage of the man's good will? Could he do it in the fear that everything would change should he tell Taeyong the truth? Will the man not give him permission to visit him again if Jaehyun tell him that he's the king?

  
_"Are you asking me if I don't care about status?"_

_Taeyong had replied to his question one day. It had been weeks after their heart found answer to each other and Jaehyun was too keen to be seen as he truly are by Taeyong after they shared many things but never was about his identity._

_"You never seem scared or care even when you believed I am a noble," he said with so much expectation, yet not quite sure if it was a good idea to tell the truth by then._

_"I don't think I care, or more like I don't want to care. I'm rebellious, you see, I hate being belittled. But if I were to be honest, of course I'm scared, low lives like me as you people like to say, are never a crime to kill after all," he laughed._

_"But you... the first time we met..."_

_"Ah, that," he chuckled, grazing his naked ankle over Jaehyun's naked calf, "people are very tense lately, the recent incidents are affecting many people and it might get to me too. So when I heard you guys, it sounded like bullshit and I'm so fed up, I got angry that I just... jumped into the conversation without thinking it through."_

_"You could get killed if it wasn't us..."_

_"True, I realized that after I went home and the fact that you guys didn't, seemed to strike a cord in me and I couldn't forget your face, who seemed genuinely care... I don't want to die, but at that time, I don't care either."_

_"If it was the king-"_

_Taeyong laughed, "so silly, the king would never go out his palace. Thinking about it, I could care less if I mess with nobles like you, if they kill me it'll just spit on the side road for them, but also a twisted satisfaction of proof that they're just shit like I believed they are. But I wouldn't mess with the king, hell, I wouldn't want to enter his field of vision."_

_"Why?" Jaehyun whispered, an ache deep in his chest._

_"Too many things could go wrong, besides people like me are nothing, so of course he could just end me without reason even if I did nothing wrong. Why would I want to be recognized with such a person? I'd rather take my own life before that."_

  
"Your majesty?"

Jaehyun got pulled out of his reverie at the call, seeing Minhyung standing near the door of his study, "what is it?"

"The guards had announced my arrival, but it appears you didn't notice. I want to ask about your work, your majesty."

 _Did they?_ "I'm done with it, here they are."

"Thank you, your majesty, that's all for today," he grinned, looking both pleased and threatening, "you've been doing so well lately, again, your majesty."

"I get it, I will delay no more," Jaehyun sighed, staring at the palace advisor who's in the middle of going through the rolls. "If you are to be honest, Minhyung, are you afraid of me?"

"Am I afraid of you, your majesty? Do I even dare to say anything about it?"

"I'm not interested in having your head, rest easy," he scoffed.

"Personally, I do believe you're not interested in anyone's head, so I will be honest that I am, partially scared of you, your majesty."

He didn't think the words will sting that much, even more so when he heard it in his head of how true those words are, "and why, would you be? You must know me better than anyone else, with the exception of my personal guards, to understand that I'm not at all scary."

"Perhaps I'm not quite as scared with your person, your majesty, but if fate present anger in you to which put aside reasons, I'm just mere words on your lips to erase."

"Is that why you chose to be distant and impersonal with me?"

Minhyung give a rather strange smile with mixed feelings, "and that nobody can hide anything from you, I think that's more than enough reason to fear you, your majesty."

Jaehyun see nothing not even the dust dancing in the air following the leaving of the said palace advisor, footsteps leaving crumbles on their trails which burdening his heart. Will that all he could be, to be feared, when he decide to show his true self? Would the feeling of being home and be true in Taeyong's arms be a lie then, if he still hides to the point of fearing to be seen? Will it be true love, then, if Taeyong never know just who it was he's embracing in the night and be without during the day? The fear was too much to contain, when he has no way of knowing what Taeyong is thinking. Had he relied too much on his ability?

_"It's almost full moon, isn't it?"_

Jaehyun looked up, surprised at the voice which he doesn't recognize belongs to anyone he knows. But his study was empty, "who's there?"

_"Do you know, the wolves love the full moon? She pulls at their blood like waves in the sea, the full moon didn't only drench the earth with her beauty, but she gives strength to those who seek and worship her."_

The voice rings in his ears, echoing in his head, like whispers riding the wind. There's a sense of heaviness in the air, draping him ever so slowly like invisible fingers trying to reach him, "who's that?"

_"Do you remember what the prophecy said, your majesty?"_

Suddenly, his body being racked with harsh shivers and soft hairs rising all over his body, heart thundering for the sense of danger filing his gut. The way the voice addressed him, they sound alarmingly familiar, "who are you?"

This voice belongs to nothing human.

 _"Your fate is to be affected by the moon, king, don't forget that. Ready your heart or you shall choose a dark path with no return,_ " the voice said along with hidden smile and sinister laughter. Then it fades just like the tension in the study dissipating with no trace.

Jaehyun didn't know what to think about it, what he does know was the creature no longer there with him and this was the second supernatural encounters he had. How very unnerving it is to be reminded again that these creatures could get in and out his supposedly safe palace, to do whatever they wanted including killing him. Besides that, this one reminds him of a prophecy he almost forget. But what could it mean? A reminder now of all times? He looks outside the window, still on their way into the night with purplish ink from the setting sun.

_Full moon, huh?_

That day was the start of Taeyong denying his entrance to see him.


	3. Moon Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I see just a man much kinder than anyone that I have ever known."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!! There's a bloody scene under nearing the end of chapter, if you're triggered by it, please proceed carefully

"I've been very understanding and obliged to your wish for me not to visit her when she denied me without so much a solid reason. I've been coming here four days in a row to be turned away at your door and I will not give you another chance for this insult in my presence," Jaehyun gritted his teeth to the Haengsu who appears to be afraid, "You must be able to conclude from my previous visits that I've never gone against my word and stay in the best of our mutual benefits, and I'll do the same this time around should you grant me entrance to see her."

"Please my Lord, my deepest apologies that I must to refuse since she's not in a condition to possibly be visited by anyone," the lady prostrate herself in front of him.

It is rare, if not never, that a gisaeng to turn away their patrons like this and it worries Jaehyun to the point of madness. _Was he so ill he couldn't even see him? Just how bad if he is? Or is he regretting them?_ But this is Taeyong they're speaking of, if anyone would get a cold feet, it would be Jaehyun rather than him. Then what could possibly happen?

"I'm not just anyone, madam. Have you asked him if the request extending to me?"

She trembled, not looking at him out of fear and Jaehyun could so easily hear the overwhelming emotions that he almost felt sorry for the woman, "she told me... she couldn't be visited and especially by you, my Lord."

 _Especially him? Does this about them after all?_ With a long, defeated sigh, he finally decided to be merciful to the old, poor woman, "Then I will be on my way today, but know that I'll be back tomorrow and I will not be turned away anymore."

She didn't say anything nor did she move from her position, so Jaehyun ride his horse and walk back home with his personal guards and disappointment in tow. It doesn't help that Youngho's mind speaks of his misfortune in a mocking way despite the slight worry in it, and it doesn't appease him that he could hear all the people's mind in that house except for Taeyong's. He has no way of knowing whether his worry was right or wrong, leaving him with a bad taste of assumption which never happened before in long years.

In the house, somewhere in a room where the road could be seen, a pair of eyes staring at the king's back going further away. Taeyong grips the front of his robe, untied long hair brushing his shoulder, questions storming in his heart whether what he's doing is right. Without knowing the answers to his confusion, it is only right for him to hide from Jaehyun, but he wonders if it's the right thing to do. He turns away from the window and rub his face in anxiety, so confused that his yearning have no place in his fear.

There's a knocking then the door sliding open to reveal the Haengsu, "I've turned him away again today, Taeyong."

"Thank you, mother, I'm sorry I made you do this," he smiled weakly.

"May I know why? Did he come to know your true self?" She crossed her arms looking as if ready to scold, yet all that's painted on her face was worry.

"He knew, that I am a man," he answered to which makes the Haengsu grow scared, "it wasn't the issue, mother, I promise you this."

"Then why? Does he grow affectionate with you despite it and you don't wish for it?"

Taeyong chuckled, "is it not to your concern that we're both men, mother? You're alright with that?"

"I don't think I have a say in this since it's about you, Taeyong. If you're okay with it, then why would I care? Not to mention the way I raised you, I couldn't properly let you live a life as a man," she sighed, "I'm terribly sorry about that, if the life I could only provide you with is the cause of your attraction to men."

"I don't think my living under the pretense that I am a woman is the fault, if I am truly attracted to women then I would still be no matter if I think of myself as one, which I never did. You raised me to be me, aside the clothes I wear, that's why I could be a man outside this house. I never feel like a woman, yet not entirely a man either, I feel not belonged anywhere. But with him... with him I'm just me, Taeyong. Not Taehee, not anyone else."

"Is that why you're attracted to him?" She took a seat on a cushion, prompting him to do the same.

"Is it weird to say that I feel the same sentiment coming from him? Like he also don't belong anywhere and he found himself with me? Maybe it's only my conceited self which told me so, but his words seem to confirm this," he smiled, leaning down to let his mother stroke his hair.

"I'm sorry, child, that you have to hide like this. Is there any way to ease your worry and tell you that you're always belong in this home?"

Taeyong blinks, gazing at the embroidery of her gown under his fingertips, "I'm not the only child having to hide in gisaeng's house, there are boys who grow up in a similar situation, although they find their own life out the house when they come of age. I simply chose to stay because I want to be near you and this is the only life I know of, aside of the fact that I fell in love with the art and want to be a part of it even though my gender doesn't allow it."

"Is that why you stayed? Even though you know it is with a risk of getting caught? To perform still?"

"It's interesting isn't it, how we're the country's slaves yet we held knowledge those in upper ladder seeks at times? Conversation with secrets which they are so willingly shared with us thinking that we're too low to be considered a threat? Even with the knowledge that we share those secrets in our judgement of what's best to be, still they let it flow out their mouths so openly," he grinned.

"So it's also for your satisfaction to mock them who underestimating us?" She chuckled.

"Perhaps," he whispered, closing his eyes in thoughts and questions still tormenting him, "how did you found me, mother? How exactly was it that you decided to take me in?"

She went rigid against him, slender fingers stills in his dark hair, "why are you suddenly curious about it?"

"Something is happening with me," he quickly straightens up to see her in the eyes, her reaction at his question was too suspicious to ignore, "I feel the need to know who I truly am."

"What I know will not help you to know who you are, Taeyong."

"Maybe not, or maybe it could be, I need to know."

Sighing in defeat, her eyes flickering elsewhere, "You were in the cradle of a woman I don't know of, she could be your mother. It wasn't long after I retired due to my age and was contemplating where should I open my business, it was night when I met her."

"Was she a gisaeng too?"

"No, I don't think she was, she wore commoner clothing. There was something dignified about her and she was so tall and beautiful," her eyes goes into the distance, dazed as if she's in awe, "just looking at her I was mesmerized, there's something about her seemed not human."

Taeyong's heart thumping harder at the words, but chose to stay quiet to hear more, "she was so beautiful, yet she looked so distraught, clothes dirty and hair unkempt as if she was running from something which terrified her greatly. She kept me from going, asking me to take you from her, telling me that you wouldn't be safe if you stay with her. Truth to be told, I too, was scared, the situation made it seem that it'll be dangerous if I concern myself with her."

"Why did you take me then?" He whispered, lungs tight in suspense.

"You were just a baby, a beautiful baby with big, pretty eyes and skin so white you look like the moon itself. You seem to radiate in the dark that I couldn't take my eyes away from you. And you look so vulnerable, so small and I couldn't help but worry about your well being. So I took you with me and she quickly went away, running from something I don't know," she bring a finger to her lips, reminiscing, "I think I remember her faintly smelling like blood..."

"Blood?"

"I'm not sure, maybe it's just me," she shrugged with a smile, brushing Taeyong's hair gently, "you're my child, Taeyong, however you came to be with me, you're my child who I love so much, and you're safe with me. Look at you already this big, there was nothing bad happening, right? You're safe."

Taeyong smiling back at the gesture, "I know, mother."

"This will sound weird," she chuckled, "but because you were looking so ethereal, there's a part of me who think that taking care of you might bring me prosperity."

He's frowning, "why would you think so?"

"Well, there's a belief that taking care of the supernatural creatures could bring about prosperity," she laughed, patting his shoulder, "that's just silly of me, you're just an innocent baby and I have grown to love you like my own, believe me."

"Do you believe that they exist? Supernatural beings?"

"I do," she gives him a look, "there are many things which couldn't be explained, so I think, I do believe they exist. Actually, this is only me, but you know those recent incidents of people being killed in the night? I have a mind that it's the doing of neither human or animals, it was just too peculiar. You don't believe they exist?"

"I don't know, I've always thought they're bogus and created from fear. Although recently... I'm starting to question whether my belief was wrong."

"Why? Did something happen?" She asked in worry, "You said something was happening with you, was it related?"

"No, I just try to think differently," he laughed, "why? You think I might be not a human? Would you love me less if I was?"

"Taeyong, you know that I'll love whoever you are," she whispered with a bit of sorrow in her eyes.

"I know, believe me, I know. It's silly anyway, thinking that I was anything than human," they laughed together before the Haengsu start to ramble about other things, always fond of talking especially with him since she's usually so busy to have time with him.

Taeyong truly think of their previous conversation was dumb, he didn't even believe such creatures exist. Yet, the anxiety scratching within him was not without reason, mind spiraling into insanity at the questions raised whenever night comes and he'd be with terror and the unexplainable.

Is he truly what he always believes what he is?

  
\--

  
"I reckon all of you must have heard the rumors about our king, sisters."

The three consorts shared a look before they look back to the queen who's been pacing restlessly in front of them. The second oldest consort with the highest status among the three consorts, speak up for them, "yes, we are aware of the rumors, although we haven't know to what degree they're true."

"Believe me, I was skeptical about it too knowing the king never have enough heart to care for anyone, but due to recent events, I'm afraid I'll have to admit that they're true."

"And what events would they be?"

"He's been away every day in a week for the said gisaeng," the queen said, causing the three consorts to gasp in surprise, "and he barely visit us in a month! For a mere lowly slave, I couldn't handle more humiliation."

"Cheungcha-nim, from where did you get such clear information?"

"The guards, the king thought it was clever of him to keep only his two trusted guards accompanied him in his visits, but some of the other guards are loose mouthed and the walls have mouths to their ears. There was never secret enough within these palace walls and I am thoroughly ashamed. Oh the disdain I felt whenever I have to look him in the eyes, I couldn't hold in this evil in my chest any longer!"

"And what plan could you have to gather us here, so far away from the king's chamber when you always called for us to yours?" The oldest consort asked, sharing a similar sentiment the queen has.

"It's been to my knowledge that the king has an uncanny talent to know what the people around him are thinking, so it's to my belief that this distance is safe to keep him from knowing. I've been to a witch doctor to help me in my plight, but it still yet fulfilled and I'm at my wits end to ask you for help, sisters, should you have better ideas."

"Ideas for what?" The youngest consort asked much to their exasperation.

"To enchant him! To get rid of that lowly woman, you shall choose whatever it is, do you not desire to have the king's child?" The queen exclaimed.

"When it comes to the worst, " the oldest consort started for the other three to focus on her, "I think it should be ideal for us to have a word with the woman, personally."

The idea was not to the queen's liking, but it's welcomed nonetheless, "as the queen, I couldn't leave the palace, but all of you are freer to go. Send my best regards to her if the time comes."

"Certainly, your highness."

  
\--

  
It's only hours pass noon, yet some of the palace people pacing around with no patience to go back to their own living quarters or home. Jaehyun inspecting with mild curiosity, "why are they so restless today?"

Minhyung look up from his parchment, "it's full moon tonight, your majesty."

"Oh, that's tonight?" It is to his knowledge that some people are fond to party under the full moon every month, "I never really look at the moon unless it was the official festival of the full moon, which only happen once a year."

"That's different, your majesty, in that festival everyone celebrate the new moon together with dances and many forms of arts. But for the kind like these, it's just people gathering, sharing drinks and conversation. Just mere entertainment than truly appreciating the full moon."

"Funny how people have already entertained themselves with drinks and words everyday, yet they still need the full moon to validate their needs of parties," he scoffed.

"There's too much time on their hands, yet too little things to do," Minhyung said, continue reading without another glance to him, "and I suppose you want to be on your way tonight, aren't you, your majesty? Again."

 _The moon will affect your fate_ , Jaehyun is reminded by the prophecy, "I must to, tonight, there's a feeling I need to see something."

"Will you ever tell me what you are doing out there?"  
He gives the advisor a look, "Are you curious or are you worried?"

"Both? Rumors are like wildfire, your majesty, I'm questioning whether they're true."

"Then be with it because I have nothing to say," he grinned then start to prepare for his leave that night.

Initially Jaehyun had planned to bring only Doyoung in his path to Taeyong that night, since Youngho was always so fond of party and the man surely wouldn't want to miss the gathering under the full moon that night. But to his surprise it was Youngho himself who offered to accompany him, saying that he might have an idea should he get turned away again. In the end it was only him and Youngho who went to the said house. Unfortunately, he was indeed turned away again that night, despite the threat he gave the Haengsu the other day.

"Do you really think I gave empty threat, madam? Your insolence is not something one could dismiss, should you're not aware, I've been so kind to you," Jaehyun said sternly.

"My apologies, my Lord, but Taehee is a precious child of mine and I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Have me at your mercy, but I'll still respect what she decided and that is she's not in any condition to be visited," she bowed, although unlike the previous time, she appears so sure and brave on her stood.

Jaehyun had been playing the role of his higher status, but in all honesty he wasn't one to abuse his privilege and that include feeling defeated with no way to go through his words to punish the lady no matter how insulted he's feeling. He was seconds away to actually be the one to grovel and beg the lady to let him in, if not for Youngho gripping his shoulder with a meaningful look.

"If it's time she need to allow me in, then I'll grant her so. Consider yourself fortunate that I'm feeling good enough to ignore your insult," he said before walking away with a dramatic gesture of his robe. He still need to keep up appearance after all, according to what Doyoung told him. When they're well away and hidden from eyes which could be looking at them from the house, Jaehyun quickly inquiring Youngho's idea, "so what is it you have in mind?"

"Look, there's an area with dense trees behind the house, I've searched around and it's spared from people, maybe you could try to reach out to him from there?" He pointed to the said location which seem like a forest in the dark of the night.

"What, you're suggesting I should climb the wall and sneak into his room?" He asked in surprise and mildly offended. That was his best idea? Even though Jaehyun was humble, still he's a royal and doing something like climbing is out of the question, how unsightly and blasphemous it would be for him to do that.

"Do you have any other ideas? I thought your yearning was greater than your ego? Or is it only run so deep?" Youngho asked with a lift of an eyebrow, mockery loud in his head that Jaehyun is tempted to plant his fist in his face.

"You really should be thankful that you're a childhood friend to me than anything else," he raised his finger to stop whatever it is Youngho was about to say, "even though that's the exact reason why you often took advantage of me."

"Why, I'm honored you think so about me," he grinned, looking like the satan's incarnation. "Then I'll leave you to it, I'll be in the perimeter to make sure you're safe. Good luck," he winked before walking away with insolent laughter in his mind.

Jaehyun stepping about in the forest like area, looking up the building and trying to remember the layout to determine which room was Taeyong's. With a gulp and long sigh pouring out his lips, he feels his heart going weary at the sight of tall wall he must climb. There's a gush of wind, then the wall being illuminated by the big full moon, taking his attention away to admire her instead. With both his hands on his waist, his eyes gazing at the moon, thoughts remembering the prophecy. How ironic that he's starting to give it a thought when he's been living his life thinking of it as nothing more than idiocy.

Will his fate really be affected by the moon? The prophecy told something about a mark engraved in his flesh, is it about the fox mark on his arm? The one which share uncanny similarity to the one on Taeyong's chest? Are the marks telling him that they're, in some way, connected by fate? His chest stirs at the thought, something like dread being awakened that what he's been thinking seem to hold truth no matter how nonsensical they sounded. Has he been running in circle in the hand of fate then? If it's so, then does Taeyong hold the key of either his ruin or rise?

"Taeyong, the way you're derailing my life, are you even aware of how much you affect me?" He said with a sigh, shaking his hands to warm it and begin his climb.

But, even before he takes a step up the wall, the wind picks up again and the trees dancing restlessly, as if trying to stop him from going up. Then he hears rustling of the woods, Jaehyun straighten up with hands going to the sword on his side, knowing the rustling wasn't caused by the wind. Faintly he hears growls, to which his heart begins palpitating faster, preparing himself to face a wild animal should he must. Strangely, the moon start shining brighter above him, as if telling him something and then, stepping out the bushes was a majestic wolf.

Jaehyun trembling on his stood at the sight, heart hitting his ribcage erratically with fear and instinct to run away. With only one look, he knows that his life will find no way out at the mercy of the wolf in front of him. The creature is huge, snout about the size of his torso and entirely coated in silver fur, radiating under the moonlight looking so ethereal. He's being racked with harsh shudder when the creature growls at him, the voice was deep and vibrating in the air which shook his bones. There's intense presence draping all over him which similar to when a gumiho stood before him years ago. His knees almost buckling at the terror sending chills to his spine, but when the wolf about to turn away, Jaehyun caught the glows in the creature's eyes.

"Taeyong?" He calls without even realizing it, halting the wolf and his heart in trepidation.

The wolf turns it's head to him again, revealing golden eyes in the splendor of bright moonlight. This time, Jaehyun shuddering not from the fear growing in his gut, instead of the heavy realization of what he thinks to be true, finally gives an answer to his question. He calls again, "is that you, Taeyong?"

The wolf stood where it is without moving, staring at him with undivided attention that for the first time Jaehyun could see that what's in those golden eyes was not threat of danger, but the same intensity of fear which he's also feeling. It was then certainty taking place in his heart, reaching out a hand to the wolf as he's taking cautious steps closer, and the wolf remains still. So many emotions storming Jaehyun that he feels nauseous, tension driving him crazy and fear trying to keep him away from the wolf, but his feet and his soul being called, to touch, to reach out.

And finally, his fingertips come in contact with the silver fur, palm drowning in the heat of the wolf's neck, directly feeling the majestic form before him which so much bigger and taller than him. Somehow, even though he's risking his life at a very intimate distance, his chest being racked by waves of relief, a smile made on his lips.

"It is, you, Taeyong."

The wolf stares at him still, gold shimmering like crystals so easy to see from being so close and Jaehyun took another step even closer, stroking at the fur with both hands and the big eyes softening before blinking at him. Then Jaehyun could smell the scent of pine trees and camellias, with not a grain of doubt, he wraps his arms around the wolf's neck, but with how big the wolf was, only his fingertips come in contact with each other.

"Taeyong," he exhales deeply, heart so full, unknown what he's truly feeling. "I must be going crazy to believe that you're really Taeyong, but you are, aren't you?"

The wolf bending his head down to nudge Jaehyun's shoulder with his gigantic snout, front legs pawing at the ground before he's lying down on his belly. Jaehyun chuckled at the scene revealing before him, sitting down to caress the huge furry torso twice his size, whispering "what are you?"

The golden eyes gazing at him, a creature unknown to him yet so expressive those orbs are that Jaehyun can almost hear Taeyong's voice saying, ' _are you not afraid of me?_ '

"No," he said readily, "I know you're not like anyone else, there's something special about you and that will not change no matter what you are, Taeyong. Although this is really over the cherry on top," he laughed.

The wolf curling his body around Jaehyun's smaller body, snout getting under his arms and sniffing him, as if searching to ease and Jaehyun realized that Taeyong must be scared, of whatever it might be. There are many questions in his mind, but for now Jaehyun can only think about being there for Taeyong, stroking his thick fur which feels like a thick fluffy blanket. The scent of pine trees is calming his nerves now, like clouds keeping him afloat in protection. He can only be certain that the wolf really was Taeyong until the man himself presented a proof, but strangely there's no doubt and no hesitation to believe it even though he never quite believe such creatures exist. Strange how the mind works that he could take it all in like that.

"Golden eyes..." he whispered, fingers scratching the big, thick ear, witnessing the big eyes fluttering closed, "Are you the one who will bring about my downfall?"

The wolf open his eyes to stare at him curiously, so Jaehyun smiling while letting his hands traveling down the rumbling torso. Suddenly, his hands touch a wetness in the thick fur, causing confusion to fill his mind before he pulls his hand back and sniff it. It's smells like iron, but the darkness didn't allow him to see what it was so he move about his hands to see, only for his heart to stop as the color red enter his vision. _Blood_.

"Taeyong! Are you hurt?" He searches the wet spot, finding more blood over it with some already dried and matted the thick fur. But there was no wound, just blood. Fear coming back alive and Jaehyun staring at the wolf accompanied with the fast rhythm of his heart, "whose blood on you, Taeyong?"

The wolf didn't answer, only blinking before he's closing his eyes with a low whine in his throat, gradually falling asleep. Jaehyun stood there with terror washes over him, thoughts already going to where he didn't want to acknowledge. Despite feeling terrified, he chose to sit close to the wolf, immediately being enveloped by the huge tail and swimming in anxious thoughts under the full moon. He remembers, against his wishes, that the killings which been happening always happened when it's full moon. He shivered, but he closes his eyes, willing for sleep to take him away into blissful ignorance.

At least until the morning comes.

The air is crisp on his skin, the smell of the forest filling his lungs just the same like the smell of pine trees. Jaehyun got woken up to a tremble against his body and the murmur coming not too far from where he is. As he opens his eyes, the sun is still young and climbing, then he remembers that the warmth within his arms is coming from a man, Taeyong. At first, his mind was muddled as to why they're sleeping outside like that, until events from last night coming together and he's filled with questions and worries again.

He looks down, to see Taeyong had rested his head on his chest, fingers gripping at his robe. The next, he noticed that the man was bare, without a single piece of clothing on his trembling body saved only from the heat of Jaehyun's body and rather big robe. He runs his fingers on the smooth, pinkish cheeks, pushing aside the messy dark strands of the beautiful face seemingly peaceful and _human_. Jaehyun would question whether what happened could have been a manifestation of lucid dream, but being where they are, it is certain what happened was true as it can be.

"Taeyong," he calls, shaking the man gently to wake him up or he would get a cold, "You need to wake up, Taeyong."

Slowly, the man blinking awake, eyes languid when they look at him, "Yoonoh...?"

"Yes, it's me, how are you feeling? You must be cold-"

"Where are we?" Taeyong sitting up with confusion painting his face, "Are we outside? How-" he realized he was naked and quickly covering his body with the sleeve of Jaehyun's robe, "why am I naked?"

"Slow down Taeyong, do you remember anything at all from last night?" Jaehyun hushed with both hands hanging on the air, careful to position himself to cover them should anyone choose to come to where they are.

"Last night? Last night I was..." his words dies in his mouth, chilling trembles dawning on him along with remembrance, "no... I, I was... I changed into..."

"A wolf," Jaehyun helped, causing Taeyong to turn pale and terrified, "Do you remember that?"

"That was... real?" He whispered and it sounds so pained, so scared that Jaehyun realize the man had no idea what's going on.

"Yes Taeyong, that was real, that the wolf was you."

Taeyong holds his head with shaking hands, eyes wide in fear and lips shivering, "I... lately I've been feeling so sick and there were feelings I can't describe haunting me every night. It always started with hurting joints, nausea and my teeth... and there was hair growing on my skin... and last night- last night I just feel so driven to run, run with so much aggression boiling inside, I- I always thought it was just nightmares..."

"Is that why you don't want to see me?"

Taeyong look up, so broken, so vulnerable with that lost in his face and tears brimming in his red eyes, but he didn't cry. Even when he's so terrified, so confused, he didn't cry and Jaehyun feel his heart falling even more, taking an anchor in this man who's so strong and doors of his heart wide open wishing for the man to take sanctuary in it.

"I was afraid... I don't know what's happening, of who or what I am, I was-"

"I understand," Jaehyun hushed softly, gathering Taeyong in his arms and embrace him tightly to show just how much the man meant for him, "you'll be fine, you're not alone, I'm here to be with and help you Taeyong."

He was still for a moment, until he hug Jaehyun back with his face pressed to his neck, "even after you saw that, you're still-"

"I'll always be with you Taeyong, I yearn for your soul, remember? I know who you truly are, no matter what your vessel is."

Gradually, Taeyong calming down in his embrace, body less tense and he said, "I've been wondering if the mark has anything to do with it..."

"The mark?"

"The one on my chest, the red fox, everything start after it... I couldn't believe it, yet a part of me wonders if I was never a human, since my body was..." He shivered, "so I asked my mother how did she found me, it was nothing ordinary, she said. The woman she thought was my blood mother looked unlike ordinary human nor was I, still I deny the possibility, it's just too absurd. But now... now I can't deny it anymore, huh?"

Jaehyun stay quiet to think it through, from the vast literatures in his palace library even those of myths, religions and beliefs, "I've read something about a creature name lycanthrope before, or what some people called werewolf, it was a belief about people who could shapeshift into a wolf on the night of full moon."

"Werewolf?"

"Yes, I think... I think that's what you are," Jaehyun said with a hint of unease in the way his body squirm, finding it hard to believe yet he must to, "it is said that they are also... sought by the Europeans along with witches." He deliberately avoids using the word hunt lest Taeyong will grow even more scared.

"Is that what I am...?" He whispered, "I'm not the only one like this?"

Before Jaehyun could answer, suddenly there's a voice coming from above them, "no."

They got startled and look up in haste, finding a tall person with beautiful face, it's hard to decipher whether the person was a man or a woman, sitting on a branch, "congratulations both of you, to find the conclusion by yourselves without my help."

"Who are you?" Jaehyun asked with hammering heart, lungs tight and deja vu hitting so strong. He knows that face with jade eyes.

"Who I am? That doesn't matter, although I'm sure you know who I am," he grinned to Jaehyun and that served him a memory hard to erase. The creature, whom they recognized as a man with the way his deep voice rang, jumped down and crouching down in front of them with an ever present grin, "You are not human, lovely. You're indeed a werewolf since long you were born."

Taeyong grow stiff and even paler in Jaehyun's arms, "who- how? I'm always just a man..."

"Let me help you with that, you never were a human, it just so happen your mother casted a spell on you so you will never be what you really are. And your survival instinct being among humans, suppressed your nature. But you see, I'm tired of sleeping too much that I decided to give a little incentive to _unlock_ you," he grins even wider.

Clever Taeyong, even when he's scared out of his wit, still managed to connect the dots, "the red fox mark, then you're..."

"Yes, I'm what your people called gumiho," he snickers.

Both Taeyong and Jaehyun felt the kick in their ribcage, of the same fear but of different cause, one for his identity to be revealed. Taeyong try to get more of the robe to cover him, straightening up, "why are you doing this? If you can turn me into this then you can take it back-"

"I didn't turn you," the gumiho guffawed, "I simply wake you up, I didn't make what you already are, I can't take it back." Then, there's an evil glint in his bright green irises, "unless if you're talking about death, but I won't allow that."

The man gritted his teeth and Jaehyun can only watch the whole exchange, "why now?"

"Why now," the gumiho repeated, "I think the answer lies in your encounter with this man, why Taeyong? You could just walk away, there was no need to speak to him when you're already so done with people as you said it. And what could possibly make you think that you were in any way just an ordinary human. There's no need to lie, I know your mother's spell couldn't be so strong they suppress you completely."

It feels like a knife which long been there in his flesh, being pushed deeper to a pain no longer can be ignored, Taeyong trembles for he knows that he couldn't hide anymore, "there never were any kids, nor even the adults, who could run as fast as I am. Nobody could hear, see, smell or anything else like I do, and I know, always know that I'm different."

He inhaled deeply, appearing so affected, "but I don't want to admit it, I don't want to feel I never fit more than I already am. So I..."

"Suppressed it by yourself and denied it, forgetting it no matter how hard it is and still, you're always capable of something more," the gumiho rest his cheek on his hand, a smile less taunting adorning his face, "and what about him? What makes you spoke to him?" He glanced to Jaehyun, which Taeyong also follow with his eyes, anxiety heightens that they're loud in his dark eyes.

"I don't know," he answered finally, "normally I wouldn't even bother, but I just felt... compelled to talk to him. I had thought it was just a simple encounter, but after that, there were so many feelings boiling inside, feelings I don't recognize. There was so much anger too, until," he stares into Jaehyun's eyes and they speak in a language could only be understood by the butterflies in their gut, "we met again and they disappeared, came with it was a different... emotion."

"Attraction, that's what pulled you two together unknowingly, both your souls seek another, doesn't it," the gumiho grinned.

Taeyong and Jaehyun both blushed, not knowing what to say about that, of how unlikely yet they have felt it within. Then Taeyong asked again, "so you're saying that Yoonoh-shii was the one which triggered... my awakening."

"The spell was wearing off, you were already half awake before the both of you met, you must notice that there were gaps in your memories especially at nights, wasn't there?"

Those words rouse the fear Jaehyun had felt last night, of possibility he don't want to confirm, and Taeyong readily asked with oblivious intention, "Yes, there was... But I thought that might be because I was tired or something, so I wasn't really in the right mind."

"Coincidentally everytime full moon comes to be?" The gumiho lifted an eyebrow, "were you not waking up in the morning with dirt in your nails or on your limbs? You never wonder why it was there?"

"What?"

"Listen," Jaehyun quickly interrupted, peeling off his outer robe to wrap Taeyong in it, "you'll get a cold if you stay like this, we can talk another time."

The gumiho snickers, "I think this one here already caught on what I was on about, did you?"

"No, people start to gather in the street, we can't stay here," he said yet it only serve more curiosity and fear inside Taeyong.

"What does he mean, Yoonoh-shii? What is he talking about?"

"I have to be on my way, after all, there's someone coming here. Oh also, you might want to be careful now, you're not by yourself anymore, Taeyong, body or surrounding," the gumiho said then he leap to the nearest tree before he disappeared with a haunting grin which will last in their mind.

"What is it you're not telling me, Yoonoh?" Taeyong persisted, letting Jaehyun clothed him with the robe despite there's resistance for his question to be answered.

"Let's get you back first and I'll tell you later-"

Suddenly there's footsteps heard and a man comes into view near them. Youngho. "Damn, I thought I told you to sneak into his room, not get frisky in the bushes. Did you stay here all night? I'll get killed if anyone knows this, what the hell Jae-"

"Youngho," he cuts in quickly, avoiding his name to be said, "give us a moment and then I'll be with you shortly."

"You better make it quick because something happened and you need to go back soon."

"What happened?" He asked right away out of instinct, unsure if he should hear it when Taeyong is also there.

"There was another killing last night and I think people starting to realize it always happens in the full moon."

Too late, Jaehyun know he was too late to shield Taeyong into oblivion when he felt the man goes rigid in his hold, "alright I'll be with you quick, give us a moment."

Youngho walk away and he hears Taeyong whispering to himself, looking down to see wide eyes and terror growing in his face, "full moon... nights I couldn't remember..."

"Taeyong," Jaehyun called and it is recognition dawning on the man's face when he look up to him.

"That was what you were trying to hide from me, wasn't it? Did you-" he swallowed and chest tight, it's almost hard for him to speak, oh how he never know fear until then, so much unspeakable terror, "did you see me do something last night?"

Jaehyun rub his hands over the man's shoulder, gripping it when he's left no choice but to say it, "last night there was blood on you."

"No..." he uttered so horrified, dark casting his appearance like horror never to be removed. His hands search and halting when they found the hardness in his dark hair, of something dried and matted, smelling like iron.

"We don't know yet! It could be anything, there's no way of knowing, so..."

"There's no way of knowing it wasn't what happened either," Taeyong said almost like a sob, body trembling much harder than he did before, "I could be-"

"Don't say it! Please don't say it," Jaehyun pleaded, his hold tightening on the man's shoulder, a taste of something he didn't want to acknowledge, of creeping doubts hard to deny, "don't give power into that word, Taeyong."

"But we can't forever lie, it's there, we just chose not to say it," he whispered, holding Jaehyun's face with shaking hands, orbs glistening with tears yet as much as there's heavy guilt, still he's so strong, "You know that too."

"It could be anything..." still Jaehyun don't want to admit, because a part of him, believe in it.

"And you stayed, last night still you stayed, how could-"

"Because I will always stay, for you, I will. No matter hell or heaven, I'm compelled to stay and it is my conscious choice to be," Jaehyun rushes out, reaching to cradle Taeyong's head and their breath to tangle for their foreheads pressed together.

"Even if it was true? Even if, I'm truly a murder?" The whisper rang loud and painful, so soft yet a butcher to their beliefs.

Jaehyun didn't answer.

  
\--

  
The soft smoke dancing in the air, Taeyong never fond of incense because they're too strong for his keen nose, but he's in need of anything to help soothe the dread in the pit of his stomach. Still, be it him sitting or lying down, he rouses and squirms, for the guilt and fear hard to ward off, the possibility of having done something could never be undone. Nauseating, although he has no memories, but the sensation when he washed clean the remains in his hair, red twirling in the water ran down his body, he swallowed an unforgivable sin.

Breathing even feels so foul, as if he doesn't deserve it at the thoughts of him taking them away from some faceless people. It's been only a week since the sinister realization yet it felt like it's been more than a month, without the presence of Yoonoh, it is harder for him to escape the dreadful maze in his head. The knocking at his door abruptly bringing him out of his constant anxiety for a fleeting moment, come after was the Haengsu's face riddled with confusion, "Taeyong?"

"Yes, mother?"

"There are three ladies asking for Taehee, I'm not sure what they wanted, but I'm supposed to tell you that they won't leave until you face them."

 _Ladies?_ He never interact with any lady with the exception of the residents in that house and he only have few patrons who came for his arts, who could those ladies be? Are they wives of someone's? "I'll go meet them after i dress myself."

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem they're here for good cause," she said warily.

"They won't leave anyway, might as well be done with it."

He dressed himself in blue gown, simple yet beautiful and formal enough to greet a guest, long hair tighten into a bun. When he goes to the front, he sees some gisaengs gathering with curious and worried looks, one of them come to talk to him,

"Taeyong, those women wears nothing like commoners attire, they must be of noble. There's only one of your patrons who fits the role, is there? Are they his wives?"

"I don't know, sister, but we will find out," he continues walking bravely, although there's an ache at the thought of Yoonoh be with wives.

"Be careful," few of them encouraged and he replied with a smile.

Sure enough, there are three ladies awaits him, all looking gorgeous with exuding dignity and confidence, not without disgust in their eyes as they fall on him. Before he managed to utter greetings, one of them went ahead to inquire, "Are you Taehee?"

"Yes my lady, I am Taehee," he bowed.

The shortest of the three, which seemingly the oldest, scoffed with distaste at his face, "quit it with your act, you know who we are and you addressed us like that?"

"Forgive me, my lady, but I'm afraid I don't know to whom I'm speaking with," he tried his best to be polite under the scrutiny.

"Oh please," this time the one who's been quiet start talking, "we know you know who our husband is, that's why you tried to seduce him to make ill of us. You try to make him against us, with that pretty face and dirty words of yours, so sly like a damned fox."

Now Taeyong truly certain these ladies came to blame him for their husband's supposed adultery, "my utmost apologies, my lady, but I'm truly at lost whom your husband might be. And as far as I'm concerned, all I've done was doing my work and I should not be held accountable on whatever issues you may have towards me."

Perhaps he was being too outspoken in front of the nobles, but there's no space left in his mind to be more courteous when there's more pressing matters haunting him. The women saw red and one of them was daring enough to pull a dagger from her bosom and swing it at his face, slashing the flesh from above his left eyes across his nose until the right of his lips, "how dare you to speak like that to us!"

Many of the gisaengs screamed, some called out his real name, but thankfully enough, drowned beneath his other name, "Taehee!"

Blood gushes out, splattering down to the ground near his feet, drenching it red and there's so much pain that he wasn't sure what's happening and his eyes couldn't see anything. The tallest of the three women step out, holding back the one with the dagger and yet there's no remorse on her face, "we've come here to give you a warning, what happened just now wasn't intended but you have a hand in how things came to unravel. So we will be on our way, for now, but do remember to mind yourself for the next time you think you could mess with us."

"See if he could still see your ugly face now," the one with the dagger chuckled, throwing the offending item to the ground.

Even in so much pain, humiliation and the burning anger within him, Taeyong stand still, a hand pressing on the wound and try to blink the blood away to stare at them in the eyes. He will not show any weakness, will not bend no matter how much the wound hurts so strongly that his entire body feels it, he will stand strong on his feet.

"How do you suggest I do that if I'm not even aware who you are talking about?"

The women look at him like he's mad, the tallest one speak, "You really think you could've fooled us? There's no way you don't know who he is."

"Who?"

  
\--

  
"Your majesty."

Jaehyun turned to Youngho who was calling him, "you found new information?"

"Yes, and I'm also aware that you've been making faces, your majesty, is something bothering you?" For once there's only genuine worry on his face and his mind.

"There's a rather sharp sting in my face and I don't know why, but it's not important. What have you found?"

"Maybe it's best if you check it with the doctor later, your majesty," Youngho supplied before he offer the parchment in his hand to him, "as I've told you before, it's seems the rumors about the killings been happening in full moon have more story behind it. It appears that the victims were quite solitary individuals, they don't really mingle with the neighbors and rarely seen in the nights, and according to the data it is possible that they're distant relatives to each other although they were never seen together."

Jaehyun took the parchment and reads it, glancing to see both Youngho's and Minhyung's faces, "so it wasn't just random choices, there's a pattern and possibly less complicated motives, that's what you're thinking, right?"

"Their relation were really distant that it could almost be said that they only shared the same ancestors, I would think family feud is common with closer ties than this, but it's not too far fetched to assume such," Minhyung said, "still, it's quite odd..."

"My assumption is that this might be due to inner business or something, considering their mysterious nightly activities that no one knows, it could be that they belonged to a group of some sort," Youngho added, "it's worth mentioning, we've assigned a group to find out whether there was something like that, but it almost seems like searching a needle in a haystack, literally nobody ever saw them in those nights."

"And the next killing would most probably happen again before we find any light on this matter, isn't it?" Jaehyun sighed tiredly.

"It appears so, your majesty," both men said in chorus.

After a moment of silence, Youngho speak up again, "Are you planning to go out again tonight?"

"Am I not allowed to have a rest after a full week working without cease?"

Youngho didn't press more since he recognized the tone of impatience in the king's voice, but Minhyung is more relentless, "you've been out so many times at nights that rumors arises within the kingdom's walls, your majesty, and I'm compelled to know whether they're true?"

Jaehyun give him a look, to which the shorter man almost takes back his question, but he chose to ask rather than hoping for a silence, "what rumors would they be?"

"Due to your rare visits to your wives' chambers, it is about you finding a woman outside the palace which arises. There was even a name accompanying the rumors, which makes it harder to believe if they're just rumors, your majesty."

"A name?" He inquired further, unease starting to shimmer within.

"Taehee, your majesty, I do not know how the name came to be."

Immediately Jaehyun look to Youngho, who's discreetly shaking his head in denial behind the palace advisor. Minhyung then continues, "there are spies in the palace, your majesty, even though we don't know for certain, it is wise to take it as a fact, be it from the inside or the outside and they know how to know things. I would suggest that you should be more careful in choosing your companions on your secret journeys."

"Then I'll only bring either Doyoung or Youngho next, no need for another," he answered to which caused Minhyung rather angry.

"Forgive my insolence, but bringing only one guard with you is foolish, Your majesty, are you risking your life for whatever it is you're doing out there?"

"Yes," he said simply and no matter what the advisor would say, will not change it, "I know how to fight, you must know I'm well versed in swordsmanship and the art of war, better than some generals to be precise."

"An arrow could kill you when you least expected it, your majesty," Minhyung gritted out.

"I've evaded most assassination attempts on me not purely on luck, Minhyung, I could hear them."

"I would never understand what it is that you hear, but your confidence could be the cause of your downfall, your majesty," the advisor said lastly before heavy silence persist in the air.

  
\--

  
By the time Jaehyun arrived in front of the establishment house with Doyoung that night, the Haengsu was already standing there as if she had expected his visit. What he's wasn't certain about is whether she's there to welcome or to send him away, "good evening, madam, I'm most certainly intrigued what it is you have to say to me this time."

It's apparent that she looked reluctant, maybe even afraid, but she bowed and welcomed him, "Good evening, my Lord, welcome and please take your time here, Taehee has been waiting for you."

That caught Jaehyun surprised, waiting for him? Why? He turned around to tell Doyoung, "go back and pick me up tomorrow morning."

Doyoung gives a look that he'd rather be there than elsewhere, but knowing Jaehyun enough, he didn't say anything about it, "Then, I'll be taking my leave and come in the morning for you, my Lord."

The Haengsu lead him into the house and unlike his expectation, he was led deeper into the house, "you're taking me to her chamber? Is she not working tonight?"

She stops for a moment, before she began walking again, "she couldn't work for the time being, my Lord."

"Why?" He asked, but they're already in front of Taeyong's chamber and the Haengsu only replied with another bow.

"Enjoy your stay, my Lord."

He didn't let his confusion to stall him for long before he knocked on the door and allowed entry at the voice coming from inside, "come in."

The chamber was poorly lit when he comes in, he barely could see anything other than a silhouette standing near the window, he closed the door behind him warily, "Taeyong?"

"Yes?" The silhouette answered with a voice a little bit above a whisper.

"Is that you?" Jaehyun feel nervous if he were to be honest, the sight was rather eerie aside that he couldn't tell if the person standing there really was Taeyong. But who else if there's no other person he couldn't read the mind of?

"Yes, this is me."

"Why is it that your chamber is dark?"

"Because I know you'll find your way here even if I try to turn you away, so I let you in although I might not want to be seen."

Jaehyun take a step closer cautiously, "is there a reason as to why you don't want to be seen?"

"It is the question of why you came back here, after being absent for a week?" He whispered again, voice tight and sounding like he try to keep his composure.

"Taeyong," he calls gently, getting closer even though mindful enough to give some space, "it was hard for both of us but especially you, I thought some time and space could help you."

"Did it occur to you that I might need you to be here with me more than that? I was beginning to think that I'm alone in this and you're somewhere I don't know, starting to regret and not coming back."

"Oh Taeyong, I will never do that, I'll never leave you hanging like that if I were to even think about doing such a cruel thing," Jaehyun said, sounds like a plea, like pain but also effort to comfort.

"So you would rather come here and tell me your choices, how to end our relationship instead of leaving me with no answer? If there's even any relationship between us..." He whispered the last part before he continues, "there's a thought, that you might orchestrated all this just so you didn't have to come here personally to end it."

Now that is making Jaehyun far beyond confused, "orchestrated what, Taeyong?"

"Tell me, why are you here? Is it your intention to tell me that you can't be with me no longer or is it because you long to see me?"

What could have caused Taeyong to behave like this? He questioned in his mind, nonetheless he answered, "I've told you that I'm here to be with you, so that will mean I want to stay with you." There's disbelief and there's something akin to a feeling of betrayal because Taeyong just can't seem to trust him enough. He must be doing something wrong for the trust not to take place, isn't it?

Taeyong stay quiet, until he whispered out so painfully like a tremble of thin thread about to snap, "Do you love me?"

Love? It is a word easy to say when it carries a weight not too heavy, but in that moment, the question was more than what the word could imply. It is not a question just about emotions, it is a question of trust, of something deeper that they have yet established, it is more than a declaration of what lies inside for their situation is unlike any other in this world. How lonely and hurting does the question sounded and Jaehyun could feel his heart bleeds for what he had done was not enough to rest the fear.

"I love you Taeyong, more than you think, more than the word can describe and there's nothing could keep me away from you."

Sincerity, which he conveyed in his tone, carries in the air and caresses the turmoil in Taeyong's heart. Why is it so hard to ward off insecurities? Why does fear always so much stronger? "Even if I became ugly?"

"Ugly? And what would make you ugly, Taeyong? Is this about what you might have done that you think you're a monster?" Jaehyun feel an urge to be close, stepping closer only for Taeyong to deny him.

"Don't come any closer!" Taeyong warned quickly, face still hidden and only his hand give enough sign he's not ready to be close with him, "I am, a monster, more than what I could become, I'm a monster of what I could have done."

"Don't punish yourself for what you couldn't control, you didn't choose to be what you are," he whispered, the words coming from his own pain and experience, of hating himself for being born the way he was, "you'll only become a monster if there's no pain and guilt within you, if there's no remorse nor fear in the face of your mistakes. But you do, Taeyong, and I see not a monster in front of me."

Jaehyun try again to get closer and closer when there's no resistance, until his hands could touch the man's shoulder, gently, carefully, "I see a man who's so tormented at the thoughts he might've done something which yet confirmed, feel the gravity of how terrifying it is and from it, I know without a doubt that if he could choose, he would never even think about letting it happen. So no, I see just a man much kinder than anyone that I have ever known."

There's a tremble to his hands from the shoulder under, then Taeyong whispered, "how can you be so sure?"

"Because I know of what I saw, whom I sees."

"Can I believe that won't change?"

"Yes, you can believe it, you can trust me that I truly love you and I meant every word I said."

Slowly, Taeyong turns around, lightened only by the lights from the outside of the window and shock Jaehyun terribly that it is not his beautiful face which come to view, rather a big, red gash across it. Instinctively he lifted his hands to touch, worry bursting out with raised voice, "what happened to your face?"

"It was so much worse before, but it seems my healing ability wasn't like human either that I couldn't hide what I am to my mother," Taeyong said, one of his hand reaching to feel the stinging grotesque texture over his face, "don't I look ugly, like this?"

"Taeyong, what happened?" He stressed out, heart palpitating so much faster, so terrified.

"Some women came to visit and they were not pleased to know that I'm taking their husband away from them. Their gift was rather extreme, don't you think?"

Jaehyun's heart skipped a beat before it's beating even harder, even before an answer, there's a feeling that he already know, "...women?"

Taeyong leveled his eyes on him, stern and unrelenting, "Yes, your wives, your majesty king Jaehyun."


	4. Moon Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There's violence and blood in this chapter when Taeyong at the backyard open washing area, please read at your own discretion.

_There was a flurry of people around him, grabbing and holding him, beautiful fingers seemingly innocent and free of cruelty, were handling him, his wound, his blood and he realized that although not exactly like this, these people are -unfortunately- used to dealing with the aftermath of disaster. This one, was pure malice, of violence so heavy which not only caused anger within him, but also terror which only come to flood him when adrenaline wearing off from his veins._

_His body shook, terribly, out of control and pain exploded from his face to his whole body. Strength left him the moment he finds relief that he doesn't have to put up a front when the devil's mistresses no longer present to see how they've succeeded in crippling him. He supposed it was his mother who put something into his mouth, very bitter, but helps his head to float and the next thing, darkness wrapped him with dulling pain._

_When he came to, his face was already bandaged nicely, numb not only on the wound but also his body and senses. He blinked slowly, exhaustion chained him to what seems to be a futon under him and he saw the walls of his chamber. For quite a long moment he drifted out and into slumber a few times, until one time he's awake enough to see a woman sitting beside him, it was his mother and she's wearing a look he couldn't quite decipher._

_"It's time to change the bandage, it's soaked," she whispered and gingerly try to undo the wrapping around his face. There was stinging pain, still it was numb enough that he didn't hiss when his raw skin made contact with air. But it is the shock on her face which bring fear within him._

_"Is it that bad?"_

_She looked up, still shocked yet tried her best to suppress it, "it was way worse before. This is not the first time I have to treat such a deep wound, but it is the first time I see such wound healing this fast..."_

_"Mother."_

_"What's happening, Taeyong?" She cuts in, tears brimming in her eyes unknown whether due to fear or worry, maybe both, "who you're getting involved with? What..."_ what are you?

_And it hurts, Taeyong had expected such question even with Jaehyun, coming from his mother was more painful than he thought he was ready for. And he knows, with her, he couldn't lie and so he told her everything, except the part that he might be a murder. It was quiet for a long moment, time stretching unbearably when he didn't know if he will receive understanding or cruel judgement. But his mother, strangely, much more afraid of him getting hurt than he possibly hurt her. Or perhaps, she just chose not to mention it, denying any chances of him being anything but human._

_"With a noble was foolish enough, Taeyong. But with a king? You can't let that happen, you must not-"_

_"I know mother, oh I know," he laments, wishing he could hide his face in his hands but it'll only aggravate the wound, "but can I stop? I don't think I can, and it's pathetic, the way I truly believe it that he loves me with all that I am. Who else would? As much I fear to be alone all my life, I love him dearly, mother, I can't let him go."_

_She stays quiet, fingers dipping in the water tinted with red from the bandage, "can he protect you? That's all what matters to me."_

_"I can protect myself, you know I could."_

_"Everything changes with him, it's been changing ever since him, how are you sure it'll not get worse?"_

_"I can only try to survive it."_

_"Taeyong," she whispered, tone rings like a warning, of something best left unsaid but no longer can't be hidden, "at some nights, I saw you going out at god forsaken hour, was that when you went to see him?"_

_"What?" He stares at her in confusion until he remembers what kind of nights it might be. The full moon, wasn't it? "You saw me?"_

_"Yes, but you always came home looking... ragged, torn apart if I may," she worries her fingernails, picking at them for the disturbing_ tick tick tick _noises filling the room, "sometimes there was blood on you and... you didn't seem to be in the right mind when I talked to you in that state, as if you're in a trance, you spoke of strange things."_

_"What strange things?" Heart kicks and kicking harder they are, about to burst out like secret demanding witness._

_"You said... that they found you, that they want to kill all of you," she stopped for a moment, breathing steadily to gain some ease, "who are these they? Who are these all of you? Was this related to him, the king? Did you get caught in something dangerous?"_

_Who? Taeyong didn't know, he didn't even know he's been walking at those nights, speaking things he couldn't catch head or tail, "don't worry mother, I will not let anyone here to get hurt-"_

_"I'm worried about you, Taeyong," she stressed, "is it really a good idea to get even more involved with him? Should I turn him away no matter what from now on? I don't care if that will make me lose my head, I just-"_

_"Mother," he called firmly, "the danger wasn't him, I know that much."_ If anything, it could be me, although it seems to apply to both of us _. Suddenly, what the gumiho had said made more sense, "you know nothing of this, so please treat him like you did before you know who he was, just stay out of it and you'll be safe. I promise, we will be alright, me, you and everyone."_

_The fear in her eyes didn't go away, only intensify, "that sounds like an empty promise, Taeyong."_

_It does feel like that for him too._

  
\--

  
"They did that to you? That wound was by them?"

Anger, so much anger did Taeyong hear from the question they could almost cut through a thick flesh like a hungry knife. He didn't answer, it wasn't a question demanding answers for it was already clear enough. A hand touched his chin, lifting it so his eyes meet another pair and the lips asked again, firm and unforgivable, "when?"

"Yesterday afternoon, they came bearing warning."

"Warning?" It was a whisper, but Taeyong could describe it as an offended hiss, sharp and dark.

"That I shouldn't get involved with their husband any further."

 _The carriages_ , Jaehyun thought, he saw them going out and was informed they were out for a change of scenery. Oh how they carry different meaning now that he know better, his stomach flips at the rage boiling inside. But it was cut short when his focus shifting to the way Taeyong stepping away from him, letting distance fill between them.

"The anger should be mine now, isn't it, your majesty?" He said, eyes stern and even more intimidating adorned with the long gash across his face.

"Taeyong-"

"Of all things we've shared, it was based on lies. The man I thought I know, I didn't know who was it I embraced, he was nothing but images you nurtured in my head."

"Listen-"

"I thought you'll tell me one day, who you truly are and I was willing to wait. But to know it in this way? I wished you could have told me before they came to tear me apart!" He screamed, suddenly what was forgotten anger in the hope of love to forgive, burning awake of how unjust he's been treated.

"No-"

"I hate that I've come to question everything even your love for me, because if it was true you wouldn't make me feel so alone in uncertainty when I needed you the most. Are you not just bored with your gold and glory that you seek for amusement and I was conveniently there?"

"No! Don't let them twist everything Taeyong, you know that's not the truth!" Jaehyun screamed back and the air in his lungs felt as if being forced out when Taeyong glared at him with vengeance.

"What truth do I know when I don't even know who you are? Everything feels like a lie!"

"You know I never was anything but being true to you when I said I love you, I do! I really-"

"How could I possibly know that wasn't another lie of yours?!"

"Would you love me had you know I was the king?!" He screamed louder, so loud they bring dead silence the next second, hanging so persistently, so intensely that only their breathing could be heard.

After a long, aching silence, finally Taeyong answered, "no, I won't."

It's a feeling akin to falling with the sense of his end, to his unavoidable death. His insides twisting in gruesome realization of his fear spoken. Out of dark humor, there's a thought in his head saying, ' _you see?_ ', but he didn't voice it in hope that Taeyong have more to say.

"I've been tormented... only by the thought that you were a noble, for being with me means taking you away from what was rightfully yours, your family, your status, title and everything. People will condemn you, ridicule you for being with me, a slave, and that was hard enough for me. I was ready to let go when you need to have your life, your family and I couldn't be in the picture. Or if, I dared myself to hope, you want to leave them and I would be ready for whatever hell will come through, I will always be there for you. But you, as the king? It's too much to bear," his voice trembled in every word that he said, eyes glistening in the dark enough to tell it was tears threatening to fall.

"I'm just a man, Taeyong," Jaehyun eventually said, anguished, exhausted, despaired that every fear they've been keeping tightly lidded, came bursting out without reserve to keep hope alive. "With you, I'm just a man, a man who loves you, who breathe in the air without his birth burdening him. I couldn't choose how I was born, I never wanted to be king and I never hated it as much as I did right now in all my life to know that hurts you, hurts us like this. If I could choose, I would rather have a life where I could love you without worries, without fear, without pain. I know, you might not believe me right now, but please, please trust me that even though this is how our lives are, I could still love you right."

Taeyong bring a hand to his lips as if to deny the cry which been trying to escape, more and more tears gathering in his eyes, "how? This isn't just me taking you away from your family or title, this will be me taking you away from the people, our country, this isn't meant to be-"

"Nobody has to throw away anything," Jaehyun rushes, stepping closer to the man he loves, so preciously, carefully taking the hand which slightly wet from tears. Even when Taeyong was so scared about what he was, he didn't cry, but here, with him, because of him, tears being spilled and it's ripping Jaehyun apart. Why love has to hurt so much?

"How?" Taeyong whispered, voice broken and tears already falling when Jaehyun look closely at him, he's been crying silently by his own and he shouldn't. If only he could take away the pain, if only they could just stay together without reasons.

"Come with me, be with me, I could keep you from harms way in my private palace where we could be ourselves, just us."

Taeyong stares at him wide eyed, he couldn't believe his ears, "you're mad."

"Maybe I am, I am mad at these people who had hurt you so, I'm mad at myself for bringing you pain all this time while I was basking in happiness because the man I love, loves me back without knowing how hard it was for you. All I wanted, was only your happiness, Taeyong," he kissed the hand, pressing it tightly to his face. He doesn't want to let go, ever.

"You couldn't... just do that, you're not making sense-"

"I am The king, I can do what I deemed must be, and you're more important than anything. This is might be hard for you, but you're written as a woman, Taeyong, it's possible."

The man gazing into his eyes with disbelief, shock and confusion, looking down to their interlaced hands, "are you saying...?"

"Marry me, Taeyong, be mine here and wherever, be my partner for life," he declared strongly, firm and never was he's so sure than in that moment. They ring true without hesitation.

But Taeyong, gives way for fear to replace the confusion in his eyes, taking his hand away from Jaehyun's hold, "be your concubine?"

"I... for other's eyes it might be that way, but you're my only love, the only one I want to be with out of my own free will," his heart palpitating in insecurities because he could feel it that Taeyong is slipping away instead of getting closer to his heart.

Time did Taeyong took to answer, but from the light in his face, Jaehyun could see it that the man already answered before letting it heard, "I can't do that, your majesty."

Sharp sting stabbing his chest at his title, so far away, so distant as if what they had was just a dream, "why? You love me, did you not?"

"Your majesty, I'm just a slave of this country and you are the king, it won't be allowed."

"But-"

"Even if you make it happen, it will not without mud on your name and the kingdom, your majesty. You'll be condemned without forgiveness by everyone, and your queen... your wives," Taeyong swallowed, slightly touching his face, "you must have lost your mind to think I would want to be anywhere near them who had hurt me like this, your majesty."

"I will keep you away, far away from them where they're not allowed entry so you won't have to mind it. If you're so against it, I can just have you with me without marriage, just us."

"I am already your dirty secret, your majesty, doing that will keep me in a worse place which will not only hurt me but also you, your majesty."

"Don't call me that!" Jaehyun shouted with a punch to the wall beside Taeyong, fisting his hands so hard they turn white, "only you, you can't call me that."

Slowly, there's a hand touching his cheek, then coiling on his nape, "if I am the place you can run to, your escape, then let it be like that... let me be the place for you to rest and let down your armor, here."

Jaehyun couldn't help the way his tears swelling to pour without control at Taeyong's gentle, soothing voice. His touches feels like home, something he never truly has. So he embraces the man in his arms, letting his tears to drench the man's gown and hides his face in the tender skin. When Taeyong holds him back warmly, tightly like rain over dry earth, Jaehyun couldn't stop his increasing cry, like a little lost child in the man's cradle.

"I'm sorry," Taeyong whispered into his hair, tickling yet sweet, his lean fingers caressing his shuddering back, "I'm sorry to demand you more, I love you, let's just be like this."

Oh the words, they are so painful yet there's relief, no yet the answer he wanted, but he'll take anything as long as he can have Taeyong with him. A harder cry racked his body and softly he's falling down, gripping strongly at Taeyong's gown that he's taking the man down too, embracing each other in surrender, "I'm ready to lose everything Taeyong, but not you, never you. So please, don't push me away, I need you in my life."

"I know, I'm sorry," he cried out too, holding his head to his neck so dearly, "let's just stay like this."

"It hurts..." he sobbed, moving his head to rest on the man's chest, listening to his heartbeats, the shattering need to feel him thoroughly, of everything that Taeyong is, not acknowledging the fear of possibility to lose it.

"It hurts me too," he whispered, gliding his hand over Jaehyun's shoulder, fingers touching the seam and sliding in to feel the bare skin, "let us take whatever we can take."

Jaehyun lifts his head to see Taeyong staring at him, even though they're together like that, still there's a longing in his eyes, sorrowful and defeated. They carry the same pain and loneliness, softly he kisses the thin lips, tasting tears rather than anything else. Their hearts yearning and crying, but all they can do was pretending everything was alright. Slowly they undo their clothes without separating from their kiss, will not let even time to take what they can have. So little it was, but better than nothing.

Taeyong gazing at him when he's stroking at Jaehyun's covered arm, thinking, "if you're the king, then this was here to hide from me, wasn't it?"

No more lies, no more secrets, "Yes, there lies the mark which the gumiho carved on my skin."

Carefully, his slender fingers peeling the skin tight sleeve off his arm, revealing every inch of the red fox mark, "we carry the same mark..."

"I had thought that yours was because of me."

"How so?" They're whispering like a secret being shared only to stay between them, intimate, much more intimate than their previous affairs. Their hearts are now truly bare for each other without a veil, without borders.

"Because they only came to be on you, not anyone else, it's like we're a pair, feels like we're bonded," Jaehyun leaning down to press their foreheads together.

Taeyong stares at the mark on his arm while his other hand caressing the one on his chest, thoughts finding a resting place, "What the gumiho said made sense now."

"What was it?"

"He asked about our encounter, wasn't he? I thought it was weird, why he asked that when we were talking about my awakening. The pulls when we first met, the mark, you, must be reasons of my awakening and it couldn't be with anyone else."

"So we are predestined," Jaehyun said softly, before they both smiling into a sweet kiss.

"It sounds like a cheap romance story," he chuckled.

"But it must be due to a bigger reason than just bringing us together, wouldn't it?"

The lights in their eyes grow dim, Taeyong keeps caressing the marks on their skin, "it must be..."

"There's a prophecy about me, Taeyong," Jaehyun prompted for the man to look at him again, "they said something about my fate to be affected by the moon, beware of the golden eyes."

"Golden eyes?"

"It was you, you have golden eyes under the full moon, Taeyong. And my decisions about it will be either my ruin or my rise."

Taeyong couldn't say anything for a moment, before worry takes place in his eyes again, "so are we destined to be together but also not to be?"

"I don't know..." Jaehyun caresses the man's cheek gently, a bit scared to touch the scar to cause pain, and hold himself back from the urge to kiss it out of proof of his love "all I know is that you feel right, then all I need to believe is that you're right for me and I'll fight for it."

Taeyong's eyes soften, holding both Jaehyun's cheeks for a chaste kiss on the lips, "you feel the most right for me too, you feel like home I never know I had."

"Let's stay together whatever may happen, Taeyong, I just need this assurance."

"Yes," Taeyong breathed, trailing his kisses down to the king's neck and shoulder, "all of me is yours to take, your majesty."

"Don't," Jaehyun warned, but not nearly serious because he could hear the smile in Taeyong's voice.

"My king, my soulmate, my love," Taeyong whispered to his ear with a kiss, his slender fingers mapping the raw heat radiating off Jaehyun's naked back, "I've always only belong to myself, but you have me, take all of me however you want me, my king."

"God," Jaehyun hissed from the rapid growing fire under his skin, "I should hate it when you call me that, but you really wreck me to the point of no return."

"You don't like it when I call you your majesty, but you like it when I call you my king? How twisted," Taeyong breathed into his ear, hot and seductive, pressing the looming explosion to undo.

"I like it when you make it sounds that I'm truly yours, that you're mine, every single strand of your hair, your body, your soul, everything."

"How obsessive," he chuckled, bringing both his hands to tease the seam of his collar, opening the last layer of their gown for his naked body to be seen like an invitation to feast on, "I'm yours, my king, devour me."

"Stop, call my name, Taeyong. I want to hear my name on your lips, complete me," he kissed Taeyong's collar bone, running his hands on the quivering chest. "Call me."

"Your majesty," he whispers with a soft exhalation, gasping when his hair yanked backward for the column of his neck to be exposed without mercy.

"Taeyong," Jaehyun demanded.

"I would keep doing it if it makes you behave like this, your majesty," he said with gleaming eyes ridden by lust, "I like it when you're a bit rough."

"You are really testing my patience," he grinned, tenderly kissing the man's unharmed cheek instead, "perhaps another time, right now I want to love you gently."

"Another time," he rubs his nose to Jaehyun's jaw, heart soaring from the promise, "love me thoroughly, Jaehyun-nim."

"Just my name, Taeyong, make me just a man," he whispered to the lips, kissing it softly before tasting them more hungrily.

"Make me, my king," Taeyong breathed to the kiss, making a mess of the king's hair with his desperate hands, "Make me call out your name."

"Then I shall," he kisses him more, wet lips and warm tongue, a taste he could ever get enough of. He let his hand wander lower, caressing the hot skin, fingers caught the beautiful navel.

Taeyong gasped, breathing a bit harder when Jaehyun leaving kisses on his way down, licking at the bud on his chest, then down to dip into the navel. He moaned softly, digging his fingers in the dark hair, feeling the pleasure so strongly even when they have barely started. He has almost called out the king's name, but he held back, unknown whether it was due to reserve or he wants to savor it longer.

"Taeyong, are you okay?" Suddenly Jaehyun asked, halting to question with worry in his tone.

"What? Yes, I'm fine, why?" Taeyong answered no less confused, face already red, impatient for the man to continue.

"Your stomach, they feel tense, they feel hard," he touches the man's abdomen, pressing down a little bit to make sure, "do you feel any pain?"

"No, there's no pain," he exhaled to calm himself a bit, "isn't that just my muscles?"

"They weren't like this before, this feel different," Jaehyun keep pressing the flesh softly, feeling resistance from beneath, "you haven't been feeling sick?"

"No, I don't think so... I did feel nauseous at some morning, maybe they're tense because I threw up this morning?"

"You've been feeling nauseous? Why you didn't tell me?"

"I feel fine now, really," Taeyong tried to reply patiently.

"But it must mean something for you to feel nauseous in the morning, right? You should have yourself checked-"

Taeyong pressed his thighs around Jaehyun tightly before catching the man's words with his lips, kissing him with no intention to wait any longer, "if you think I must, then I will. But for now, just continue what you were doing."

Jaehyun grinned into the kiss before reciprocating in the same hunger, embracing the man closer for their chests to graze against each other, "What should you say, Taeyong?"

"Please," he whispered, realizing it wasn't enough when Jaehyun still waiting for more, with defeat Taeyong finally let it escape his mouth, "Please, Jaehyun."

"Your wish is my command, my love."

For the rest of the night, Jaehyun made sure Taeyong got accustomed to calling his name.

  
\--

  
It didn't help that the weather that day was as gloomy as Taeyong is feeling that morning, headache hammering within his skull like they want to break free. He looks into the mirror, staring at his pale, wounded face, healing fast but not soon enough. Perhaps he should be thankful for that or the people in the house will grow suspicious. Although for him, it's not a good face to look at when nausea accompanying his insufferable headache. As if all of that wasn't enough, his stomach have been bloating so much, growing like a balloon about to pop in the span of the last month that they're in the size of a half watermelon now. What is happening to him? The thought merely passing by as he couldn't contain another hurl to the drainage in the toilet.

At first, he had thought the headache was due to the wound on his face, but it was healing nicely aside from the fact that the pain already existed before he got hurt. Or is it related to his growing stomach? Since when? He couldn't really pinpoint, but he could almost believe it wasn't long after his first night with- He blushed at the thought, for almost calling the king with his name in his head. Good gracious, how audacious of him to behaved so daring in front of the king when someone like him shouldn't even be allowed to look at the man. Yet he was so... brave. Jaehyun is the same Yoonoh-shii whom he loves, but is it really right for him to be allowed that much? The man is still the king.

He wonders if that the reason why he was so adamant not to let the man visit him and only allowing letters to be exchanged every few days, or was it because he thinks he look hideous with his big stomach. There's a thought that what's happening with him could be an illness enough to kill him, of something which eating him from within, but that couldn't be, could it? He feels fine with the exception of strong headaches and nauseas. He really needs to be checked by a doctor, but the looming ill thoughts scares him that he could only run away from it, denying it. He knows he can't keep hiding it, in three days Jaehyun will come to visit, going against his wishes for the man to wait a moment longer. It's almost been a month, it's to be expected, but what if he got repulsed by the way he looked now?

All the thinking and second guessing makes his headache worse, so Taeyong decided not to dwell on it any longer to avoid rousing his diminishing nausea. He washed up and tighten his robe before going out the toilet, expecting to smell the morning sun and humid air which strangely infused with the scent similar to wet fur. He looks up in confusion, catching sight of a man standing in the back garden not far from the open washing area.

It makes a frown on his face, "who are you? Nobody is allowed in here."

The man, muscular and tall, wears commoner clothes and something seemingly off with a look quite alarming to Taeyong, "found you."

His reply made him wonder if he's one of his patrons, but no one was like him, "How did you get in here? Only the residents allowed entry-"

"You reeks, how was it that we couldn't find you before?" The man cuts in with a deep voice almost like a growl, "You've killed many of us."

Immediately, Taeyong knows what the man meant, with a warning voice he demanded, "who are you?" Nobody knows what he is nor what he had done, there's only one reason why this man knew about it.

"It's no use letting you know my name, isn't it? I'll end you here," The man grinned and that was the only warning Taeyong get before the man launched at him in a speed no human could mimic.

His body reacted by its own, evading the attack and getting into a defense, wide eyes intent on the other man who's turning around to glare at him, assessing. The second attack comes faster than before, Taeyong tried to evade once more completely relying on his instinct, but was too predictable that the man managed to catch him and almost rip his chest apart. His right arm took most of the damage by blocking it, blood pumping and heart beating erratically at the shock, but he was strong enough to deflect another clawed hit and pushed the man away for a few seconds.

In that fleeting moment and adrenaline rushing through his entire body, sharpened focus helps him see every movement as if they're slowing down. He feels his jaw tight and thickening, the next sharp teeth and claws grow out and a growl pressing out his rumbling chest. When the man tried to sink his canine teeth into his neck, his claws move faster and dug in the man's torso drawing blood and high pitched scream. His body was torn by Taeyong's retaliation, yet he didn't back away and only come charging even more frantically. The man was desperate, strangely it was only then when Taeyong realized that he didn't come to hurt, but to really kill him.

Taeyong never fight in all his life, yet his body which is running purely on instinct, seems to be adept at defense, on the desire to stay alive. Because when the man launched at him again, he came too close that the range of Taeyong's arm couldn't get him, but his head moves in an instant to take a harmful bite off the man's neck, tearing it with bones crushing noises. It took even him by surprise, quickly leaping away to have a considerably safe distance between them. There was no fear at the flood of survival instinct, but when he sees the blood and the way the man's torn body looked, Taeyong tastes not only the salty iron on his tongue, but also the horror of guilt and regret all over his being. The man is still breathing and standing, yet it's undeniable he's on his path to death, and it didn't sit well with Taeyong.

Perhaps he's a fool, to fear for the man's well being, the one who was trying to kill him. Because this isn't him, he wasn't one to kill someone, Taeyong was just trying to stay alive and the sight before him was too much to take. Before he could do anything foolish though, the man runs away less to stay alive, but more to hide his death. The damages Taeyong had done to him, wasn't something their fast healing ability could repair.

With the sense of danger flying away, panic comes to replace the adrenaline in his blood and his knees lose their strength, sending him falling to the ground with shaking body. He almost couldn't breathe, limbs trembling so harshly he could only crawl so slowly to the faucet in the open washing area. The onslaught of fear only being suppressed by another fear of being caught looking like that by others, who will most likely come rushing in soon after hearing such commotion. He washed his tears and the blood on his arm as quickly as he can before some gisaengs filling in the back garden, screaming in shock finding his crippled state.

"Taeyong! What happened?!"

"A stray dog," he answered shortly and quickly, letting them to bring him up and away from the bloody scene, a bit of relief washes over him.

"Call for the doctor!"

"Wait, no," he stops the woman weakly, gripping at her gown like a lifeline, he can't risk having someone see how fast he's healing, "just clean it and put bandages over it, please."

"But Taeyong your arm!"

"Please," he pleaded.

"Alright," another gisaeng complied with heavy heart, "But you'll have to get a doctor look at it soon."

In three days, Jaehyun will come to visit, he'll do that then, "I will, I promise."

Although few days later, he wondered if perhaps he should have let a doctor check on him sooner.

  
\--

  
"A killing in broad daylight?"

"Yes, the body was found at the outskirts in the afternoon, your majesty. And like the previous ones, they're torn by what seems to be a beast. From the way he looked, the hours which killed him seem to be in the day."

"And it was two days ago? How has it come to us only now?"

"We were making sure it was the same case and wasn't a falsification," Minhyung supplied, "and this one also a distant relative to the other victims."

Jaehyun is thinking hard, finger tapping on the armchair, if the killings really were Taeyong's doing, does that mean the man couldn't control it not only at the full moon but also in the day time now? The thought brings shiver on his body, not so much at the thoughts of Taeyong killing someone yet again, but more about how the man must have felt to have done such cruelty when his soul is so pure and kind. It must have been gruesome for him. Mildly, he noticed the sharp stings in his left arm which been there for the last couple of days.

"I'll let you and Youngho to do what must be done, for now let me handle other works to finish for the day," he quickly decided, "I have somewhere else to be this night."

"Your majesty, this is becoming a pressing matter of our kingdom, Youngho-shii even suspected that there's a massive movement being planned by certain group of people, something like an organization against the kingdom," Minhyung stressed and worried about the lack of intervention. _Do you not care?_

"I have my own ways to try to settle this, Minhyung, I'm not simply letting you carry the burden without doing anything. Believe whatever you wish to believe, but I'm not irresponsible," he hissed out in impatience, having been unable to sleep due to unknown anxiety stirring in his gut, he's not in the best condition to keep a calm head. He's been away from Taeyong for too long since the man claiming the need to rest alone with an illness he wasn't willing to disclose.

The palace advisor says nothing else and asked for him to be excused. Jaehyun tried his best to not think about the killings or Taeyong, focusing on other matters at hands to finish his day as soon as he can. Due to Youngho being busy with the case, it becomes Doyoung's duty to accompany him everywhere including his visit to Taeyong. The journey down to the establishment house was quiet and tense, Jaehyun not going to answer the questions in Doyoung's head as long as they're not being voiced out.

"You're not someone to shift responsibility on to others to enjoy your own leisure time, your majesty," finally the guard asked after a long moment riding on their horses in silence.

"Is that what I'm doing?" He challenged.

"My deepest apologies, your majesty, but I can't quite see how is it visiting your lover equates to handling the case with responsibility."

"Dear, my Doyoung, you know me so well. There are things I chose to keep and it is your duty to trust me, is it not?"

It was enough warning for the guard to keep his mouth shut and continue their path without another question. When they reached the destination, out of rebellious act, Doyoung didn't unmount from the horse and asked, "should I wait for your return or for me to come for you in the morning?"

"Without going down from your horse, Doyoung? Why, I thought only Youngho can display such insolence before me."

"Jae-"

"In the morning, Doyoung. Go now, I have no obligation to tell you what is it I'm actually doing, am I?"

"No, please forgive me, your majesty," he bowed still on the horse, won't let go of his silent protest.

He didn't spare another glance at his guard before coming in the house, welcomed by a gisaeng who's not the Haengsu, "My Lord! Have you come to visit Taehee?"

"Yes, I am, would you be so kind to lead me to her?"

"Yes, of course, my Lord," she bowed deeply before leading him away from the front door, going deeper into their living quarters. "Pardon us that the Haengsu couldn't welcome you at the front, she's been busy making sure Taehee is fine."

His heart skipped at the mention, worry residing within, "is she sick again? Or was it about her wound on her face?"

"Oh no, my Lord, we don't think it was related to her wound on her face. She's been sick for quite a while now, with headache and nausea, not to mention she's been feeling lethargic too. The symptoms actually a lot like..."

"Like?" He pressed on, to which the woman only laughed it off softly.

"A few days ago, unfortunately a stray dog attacked her and hurt her arm, it was quite bad. But she's mostly fine now."

It did bring more worries in Jaehyun, but also a confirmation that the most recent killing was connected to Taeyong. Yet he didn't miss the way the gisaeng changed the topic, avoiding to answer. Although his ability to hear minds helped him with that, and he didn't know if he should be thankful about it. There are a lot of voices penetrating his head, mostly about Taeyong and what could his condition be, yet they didn't really serve him answers since they're all gibberish and nonsense.

' _Did you hear what the doctor said this morning?'_

_'If that's even possible?'_

_'Perhaps the doctor was mistaken? He didn't know Taeyong was a man, right?'_

_'His condition really was similar though.'_

_'Is this some sort of a joke?'_

_'But if it's possible, whose could it be? He said he didn't sleep with any patrons.'_

_'Only that one gentleman, wasn't it?_ '

"We are here, my Lord," the gisaeng in front of him said, standing by a familiar door and pulling him away from the loud, chattering noises in his head, "I'll notify the Haengsu first, if you allow me, my Lord."

"Yes, please," he replied through a tight throat, swallowing to rid the sudden dryness and nonsensical thoughts. But, _what if?_

The Haengsu emerges from the room, a tight look painted on her face, "My Lord, please take your time."

"Is he alright?" He asked abruptly without any consideration and caused the gisaeng behind the Haengsu to gasp in surprise. Some of them didn't know he already knew about Taeyong, did they?

"He's injured, but he had told me that he wishes to speak with you, my Lord."

She didn't give him a chance to ask more since she's already walking away with the gisaeng, leaving Jaehyun to cradle the anxiety in his chest alone. If he's that wary and anxious, how must Taeyong feel? The fact that the Haengsu didn't give more pleasantries like she usually did, makes it all the more harder for him to get inside the room. It's becoming a habit for Taeyong to leave his room dim whenever he's with unpleasant thoughts, Jaehyun realized when he finally takes a step inside.

"Taeyong? Are you alright?" He asked the man who's sitting by the window accompanied with one candle to light the dark room, shining only enough to fall on his face.

"I'm not quite sure myself, your majesty," he replied in a soft voice.

"I told you not to call me that," he said not without displeasure, coming in to sit beside the man and searching his face, "I've heard about you got attacked by a stray dog, are you really fine?"

"We both know it wasn't a stray dog, your majesty."

"Taeyong-"

"I can't be with peace in this moment, your majesty, calling your name would make it worse with so much uncertainty, I have yet found the answer to deal with it," Taeyong quickly answered, tone desperate and troubled. Jaehyun have no choice but to let it go this time, waiting in silence to deliver the news he must share.

"The body was found two days ago," he said after a long moment, Taeyong responded by looking at him filled with fear and more questions, "were you... sober then?"

"He tried to kill me," he said in a broken whisper, "I could only do so much to... to survive, I didn't mean to..."

"I know, I know Taeyong," he hushed the man with a gentle voice, gathering him in his arms, a kiss to his temple. He didn't miss that something feels off, the way the man feels in his embrace, something of a volume between their bodies, was there a pillow in Taeyong's lap? "You did what you had to do, don't let it ruin you with guilt, it's not yours to carry."

"I could still feel... The way my teeth and claws grew... The way they tore him apart- God, why is this happening to me?" He cried silently into the king's chest, hands gripping tightly on the beautiful gown.

"Why did he try to kill you? Did he say anything?"

"I don't know," he took a shaky breath, not really ready to have this conversation, but he knows he must, "he said something about them been trying to find me, to... kill me."

Jaehyun didn't say anything to that, have a mind to suggest, but waits for everything to be said, Taeyong continues, "do you think it's related to my birth and the prophecy?"

"That's the only reason I could think about, because there's no other reason for these people to cross you when you never did anything in the first place."

"But what if it's vengeance? What if it's because I accidentally killed one of them when I wasn't in my right mind and they came for revenge which led to those slaughters? What if-"

"I've met you in your other form, Taeyong, you were anything but malicious or aggressive. If something did occurred when you're in that state, it must have been theirs to trigger, not you," Jaehyun quickly argued, but Taeyong simply can't rest easy.

"But what if I was like that because it was you and different with anyone else?"

"Then how come all those victims are not humans?" Jaehyun didn't know the true identity of those victims, but he could deduct enough from facts he already know.

Taeyong opens his mouth about to answer, but he stops, thinking over the words and how they hold a possibility. With only assumptions and fear to deduct, Jaehyun knows it's useless to dwell on it any longer and decided to shift it into something else, "he hurt you, didn't he?"

"My right arm... but it's healing already," he whispered, leaning away a bit to show his bandaged arm to Jaehyun.

"May I see it?" He took the arm gently, trying his best not to cause the man more pain.

"See it? What would you do when you see it?"

"Not really seeing it only makes me think of the worse, I don't want to let it wake me in nights when I'm far away from you."

Taeyong only nodded to let him undo the bandage slowly, carefully one by one the layers are peeled until Jaehyun could see the raw skin with four deep gashes along it. It is clear to see that the flesh was torn by claws, sharp and big enough to dig that deep. It caused Jaehyun's heart to ache, tears brimming in his eyes out of worry and helplessness for not being there to protect Taeyong. Out of remorse and aching sense of responsibility, he leans down to kiss the wound, prompting Taeyong to hiss and got surprised.

"Don't do that, they're disgusting!" Taeyong stressed out with trembling body, wanting to take his arm away but Jaehyun holds him still.

"There's nothing disgusting about you, Taeyong," he whispered with so much yearning, of pained longing and guilt, "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

There's tears in Taeyong's eyes too, lips trembling from holding his cry in, shaking his body with it. When he lowers his head as Jaehyun keep kissing his wounded arm, it is apparent he was tormented by something else.

"Taeyong? No matter what it is, I'm here with you to stay, you can tell me everything without fear," he coaxed gently, caressing the side of the unharmed arm with so much love and patience.

A sob leaving Taeyong's lips, trembling harder and tears running down uncontrollably. The sight is too much to bear for Jaehyun, he put the arm safely away before he's embracing the man wholeheartedly, stroking the shaking back and kissing the wet cheek, "it hurts me to see you like this, please tell me Taeyong, whatever I must do to take your pain away?"

"I don't know what to do, I'm losing my mind," he cried, hugging Jaehyun tightly with one his arm, "all of this doesn't make sense."

"I'm with you to search for answers, Taeyong. Don't take it on by yourself, I'm with you, always."

"Jae..." Taeyong started, but keep himself for calling out his name, lowering his head again as if ashamed about what he's about to ask, "men can't possibly get pregnant, can they...?"

It was the question been swirling in his head for moments ago, hearing those minds going about and he didn't know if he has the answer. It did cause him to look down, taking notice of the something which was off in their embrace, of bulge big enough it's hard to miss under the man's gown, uneasiness creeping in, "The palace held all sorts of knowledge, even ones not allowed for the people, but I can say I never come across something like that."

Slowly, Taeyong let go of his embrace to touch his protruding stomach, face colored with mixed emotions, "a doctor checked on me this morning, my mother made sure he didn't look at me without clothes to avoid him knowing my gender. He... checked on my stomach too, since we thought it's strange that it's been growing bigger since you told me how tense they are. But... he found... heartbeats in there, so he told me that I'm... that can't be, can it?"

"Taeyong..."

With an erratic expression he adds, "I told him that is not possible, at all. But he was so sure because the heartbeats are different than mine, they're much quicker just like... just like those of fetus. But I'm-"

"But we don't know if it's different with the nonhuman," Jaehyun said quickly, almost regretting it when he sees the crestfallen look on the man. The least he could do was to pretend it was normal, it was not his place to feel fear and possibly make it harder on the man, "Taeyong, maybe it's different with your kind...?"

The man's body shivered out of fear, "I was barely holding on knowing I was anything but human and now..." he cried again, burying his face in his hands, "Why..."

"I'm so sorry," Jaehyun whispered, taking away the tears drenched hands and kissed them tenderly, holding the beautiful face marred with anguish so preciously as his eyes trailing on the now thinning line of a scar, "if it were true, it was my fault too, I'm sorry."

"We didn't know... we still don't know if it's true," he sobbed, kissing Jaehyun's hand too and place them on his cheeks.

Jaehyun wanted to say something about the scar on his face, how they seemingly will leave no trace soon enough, but it didn't seem to be the right time to say it so he didn't, "if only there's someone who could tell us."

" _And that's my cue_."

They got startled at the sudden voice, finding a tall man sitting on the window with a grin, already looking at them, "hi."

"Gumiho..." Jaehyun breathed out in surprise, while anger and a sense of hopelessness overcame Taeyong as he shouted loudly.

"This is because of you! If you hadn't done anything, this wouldn't happen!"

Jaehyun was taken aback, because although Taeyong can be emotional, never did he react that strongly, that show how tormented he is. The gumiho said nothing and only staring at him quietly, then, "even without my hands in it, this would happen, it was written in fate already. That's why the prophecy came to be."

The prophecy, Jaehyun thinks about it, does the warning in them was exactly about this situation? Then would things still go worse instead of better from now on?

The gumiho swung his legs into the room, "I know fear might make you feel better to have someone to blame, but it wasn't me, all I did was smoothing the process rather than letting it go with more risks to take. So you should be thanking me instead."

"But if you hadn't put that mark on- him," Taeyong deliberately avoided to say Jaehyun's name, "we wouldn't feel the bond and we might not be together and turning it into... This."

 _This_. It's cruel as it can be and Jaehyun feel pain at the words, as if unwanted, as if they're just a mistake. It would be a lie to think of their relationship without what if's, maybe there rests a bit of regret, but to worded it like that, does it stung so much.

"The mark on him was only a track to find you, even I couldn't find you before and it was important. They did trigger your awakening faster, but they still would happen without it, and the marks created a bond between the two of you to help your case. You're of different creatures, your bond will be weak without it and you might miss the sense of danger should one of you was in a situation, so really, all I did was trying to keep the two of you alive."

Taeyong appears to be hesitant, not knowing what they meant, "what...?"

"You feel it, don't you, Jaehyun? The pain in your face and arm, the looming anxiety keeping you awake? Did you figure it out that wasn't yours but instead Taeyong's?" The gumiho said with a grin, always seem like he's having fun despite the situation.

"I did feel them... But I wasn't aware it was his..."

"Huh, humans," he clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"Then what about..." Taeyong cradles his stomach with trembling hands, desperate to know yet scared to have it confirmed, "... me?"

Somehow, The gumiho's eyes softening, "the wolves, I mean the werewolves, they're those called alphas, betas and omegas. Alphas are the dominant ones who sometimes leads, betas the followers and sometimes the second in command, and omegas who bear children in their packs. Mostly, it was the betas who reproduce more in numbers since alphas and omegas are low in numbers from the start, but since they were hunted by humans and almost went extinct, they evolve. Now, their males could be omegas too, and that's you, Taeyong. You're an omega."

It feels like cold water being poured over Taeyong, dread in acknowledgement that what they feared about, was true. He grabs at his stomach strongly, realizing no longer with doubts that it is life which growing inside of him. His whisper is so broken and devastated when he said, "so I'm really...?"

"I've been watching the both of you and one day, I know, that you were in heat for the first time, Taeyong. And that the two of you tangled then, which came to this. Perhaps the bond has a hand in this because they make Jaehyun more than a human, to which why he could smell your heat and reacted to it. Although you would still came to it without the bond, would you not?"

Taeyong could pinpoint exactly when was it, the fever, the smell, he remembers the day like it was just yesterday, "that day..."

"Pine trees and camellias..." Jaehyun whispered, sharing a recognizing look with Taeyong.

"The two of you smell so nice then, very strong too, it's no wonder they didn't miss it out," The gumiho sighed.

"They?" Jaehyun asked, knowing Taeyong was too out of it to address the question.

"The wolves, they've been trying to kill Taeyong, did they not?"

"Why?" It was Taeyong who asked, "I did nothing..."

"Why do you think your mother hid you, gave you away?"

The blood which rushing in his veins was not in a good way, more than fear growing alive, still the gumiho continues, "those deaths, they're not all in your hands, Taeyong. Some are among themselves because they didn't know who was it that they were really searching for, until now. Danger is eminent now that they've found you, you may killed them out of defense, but you're not untraceable. There's been a prophecy within us the dark lurkers, a silver bridge which casts two ends, destruction or the top for those who stand at the right end. They came to be when you were born, that was why your parents sacrificed their lives to keep you safe and hidden, because many believed it was you, you have a silver fur."

Taeyong twists his fingers in his gown hard, ever so terrified with how fate plays with his life, Jaehyun placed a comforting hand over his hand, "that's similar to the prophecy about me. Then it's either Taeyong the key or it was both of us, but why only Taeyong got seeked out?"

"Well, a key can't be without a padlock or a door, if one is missing then nothing can be opened would it? The silver fur was strategically easier to seek than something which was more abstract and unknown which is Jaehyun, your fate is heavily interlaced it can only work with the both of you, not only one of you," the eyes of the gumiho moves, looking at something, then grinning, "although now the same can't be said because the door already opened, Taeyong's existence is far heavier to keep than yours, Jaehyun. If he's erased, the consequences won't be faced only by you, but all of your people."

"What...?" They both asked.

"Right now, the both of you stand at the meeting of two opposite ends, of two worlds colliding, the loss of any of you will give different ends. Your choices will heavily affect them, even me," the gumiho said.

"But how we-" Taeyong is reaching for the gumiho out of desperation, only for the creature to get away with an alarmed look, before he's smiling again with a sarcastic lift of an eyebrow.

"You're dangerous for me right now, Taeyong, please don't touch me."

His hands trembling, seeing how grave the situation at hands from the unexpected reaction, unknown why he could be dangerous. Is he really of such importance now? One who could change the fate of many lives? How?

"Right now, just make sure the both of you stay alive, especially you, Taeyong. And be prepared, your kind's pregnancy isn't anything like humans, they're short and you only have two more months," the gumiho informed.

"T-three months?" He stuttered in shock and disbelief, looking to Jaehyun who's sharing the same expression.

"It's been about three months since your heat, wasn't it? They last only for six months or so, you really have to prepare for it, mentally and... physically."

Taeyong grabs at his stomach, terrified, in that moment all he could feel was a parasite growing inside him, he couldn't accept reality just yet. Jaehyun is caught in a dilemma in the face of new found reality and Taeyong's reluctance about his condition, still hard to believe like a fever dream to be forgotten and unrecognized, but they must calculate everything to avoid unwanted results. He must bear the responsibility and consequences, he must be the one with a calmer head on their shoulders.

"You know how to summon me shall you need me," the gumiho disappears with only a ghost of his smile to be felt in the tight air.

"Taeyong, listen to me calmly," Jaehyun starts while holding one of the man's trembling hands.

"Your majesty... I'm terrified, I can't think right now."

"I'll be with you in every step we must walk on, don't be afraid, we must keep a clear head and stay strong," he squeezes the hand, turning them around to intertwine their fingers, placing them on his steady heartbeats, "there's no doubts within me, all I wanted and need is for you to stay safe."

"Your-"

"None of that, Taeyong," he said sternly, "there's no distance between us so don't create them, I'm just Jaehyun the man with you, and I need you to stay true with it or else we might be risking our safety out of unnecessary distance and miscommunication, that's the least we need now. For now on I will not abide to your belief of keeping space between us is for the better, they're not, as you've seen how it was compromising your well being, I will not let that happen again. Be with me thoroughly, Taeyong, I need you to be with me without secrets nor formality, please."

Taeyong sobbed in the dark, face hidden in his other hand, so broken yet still refuse to be seen weak, wiping them away harshly, "I understand."

"Call my name, then I'll know you meant it," he said, an underlying plea hard to hear in his tone.

Taeyong gazes into his eyes with a determined look, glistening like liquid diamonds under the beautiful yellowish candle light, "Yes, Jaehyun."

He reached to hold the man's cheek, kissing his lips gently they almost easy to forget, but the longing thick to taste, of promises to keep, "please don't disagree with me, it's hard for you but I propose it in the best intention for you, Taeyong."

He waits for Jaehyun to say it, "come live with me in my private palace, that way I can make sure of your safety."

His eyes shifts in uncertainty, lips slowly opening, "but-"

"Please, for me, for yourself," Jaehyun took a shaky breath, squeezing his hand again, "for our baby."

It was then when Taeyong knows that he have no other choice, a lone tears escaping his fluttering eyelashes, "alright..."

Jaehyun didn't know from where the guilt originated, all he knows that he need to embrace the man in his arms and let him feel his love, then whispered with so much regret, "I'm sorry."

Taeyong didn't answer and only embracing him back.

  
\--

  
The only thing Taeyong could do was packing his things to be moved, it didn't matter that deep down he was reluctant about the whole thing, how they serve more anxiety than relief to live in the palace, somewhere he definitely don't belong to. He didn't know how Jaehyun could make it possible for someone of low birth like him to be within palace walls, it's not unheard of, but they're not common and he fears for his safety in a different way. He can only hope the king could truly keep him away from the palace people, no matter how unlikely they seem. It's only mere days for the palace's carriage to take him away from his home, his family.

His mother was the hardest to persuade to let him go, crying wordlessly in her protest to comply, worrying the women since she locked herself in her room and almost jeopardizing the establishment for the Haengsu must remain stationed to run the business. The women, his sisters, had initially voiced out their confusion and wonders, but readily accept the idea no matter how little he explained the reason of his moving, pretending that his faithful patron had bought his freedom. Only his mother knows where he was actually going, only she who knows of his pregnancy was true, reluctant to acknowledge it much like Taeyong himself until there's no other explanations for his condition and situation. It took her two weeks until she finally ready to let him go, praying for his well being.

"Wherever you are, this place will always be your home, Taeyong," she stroked his hair with brimming tears, "so come to visit home whenever you can."

"I will, mother," he said not without the choked feeling in his throat, hugging her tightly, both grateful and regretful for what she had done for him.

"I will miss you so much," she sobbed no longer able to hold in her tears.

"I will miss you too, mother."

  
The carriage comes in the night to make his arrival less conspicuous and known to the people, although it is undeniable the palace people must have. Did Jaehyun tell them that he was one of his concubine? The king elaborate nothing, that's the only plausible reason Taeyong could think of. Probably the king really could do anything with his whims, he had thought with a weak, defeated smile. He had seen Doyoung and Youngho often enough to recognize them amongst the few who are guarding his carriage, they acknowledged him with a short bow, then the narrow box which trapping him goes juggling to notify the start of his anxious journey.

The king's private palace stands in the middle of the vast land, surrounded with long corridors and rooms of his personal servants, silent and shadowed at his arrival, telling of nothing but his existence to be a secret as humanly possible. Jaehyun welcomed him with his warm smile, embracing and kissing his face immediately the moment he stepped out of his carriage. The look of relief and happiness on his face is hard to miss, opposite to Taeyong's troubled expression.

"What makes you look so light as if you're about to fly?" He asked the king after making sure the carriage and the people with it are long gone.

"I'm a simple and greedy man, the circumstance is not favorable, but having you here does make it feel like you're finally, truly mine," he sighed deeply with a wide smile on his thin lips.

The radiating happiness did make it easier for Taeyong to rest the creeping uneasiness under his skin, heart slightly singing at how the king is truthfully love him. He traces the king's face with his finger, kissing the lips as they touch the soft flesh, breathing love, "I've been yours from the start, Jaehyun."

"Nothing makes me happier and whole than having you with me and calling my name," Jaehyun whispered and it's true in the way his heart beats faster and warming his whole body with affection unable to describe.

"Then I'll call your name more often," Taeyong smiles, a giggle leaving his lips when Jaehyun's fingers tickling the skin of his neck, "I love you, Jaehyun."

"I love you more, Taeyong," he kissed him again, swinging the man in his arms to get inside his chamber, careful to make sure they didn't trip with the added weight of Taeyong's body.

"Then keep loving me," Taeyong breathed as Jaehyun placed him to sit on a big, luxurious bed covered in gold colored sheets.

"I never plan on stopping," he kissed Taeyong's forehead before he walked away to retrieve a basin and a jug of water, placing them securely by the bed causing the former gisaeng to frown in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"You must be tired, let me do this before I'll let you to rest," he fills the basin with water and wet a cloth, lifting one of Taeyong's legs and take off his shoe, before he wipes it with the wet cloth.

"Jaehyun! What- you can't do this!" Taeyong almost shriek in panic, taken aback from having the king washing his feet.

"Hush now, let me spoil you," he chuckled, hands never falter.

"This is blasphemous! I couldn't possibly-!"

"Taeyong," he called firmly, a tone not to argue and Taeyong couldn't say more, aside for a whine escaping his bitten lips.

"You're losing your mind."

"Perhaps, but do I care? Not," he laughed, washing both Taeyong's feet, then wiped them dry, massaging them a bit before he maneuver the man to lie on the bed and cover him with a blanket, "I'm glad you listened to me and came here wearing your most comfortable gown."

"You've planned this, didn't you," Taeyong huffed in disbelief, heart palpitating due to the absurdity until they shift into the fact that the king is getting into the bed too, sharing the same blanket. They often shared bed, but this was different, this is the king's bed and Taeyong's heart went thundering, nervous yet exciting in some way.

Jaehyun sliding closer until no distance separate them, bodies pressed together and breath caressing their skin. He lifts a hand to touch Taeyong's face, fingers touching every inch of his smooth skin, following every line and moles also with his eyes,

"You're so beautiful."

"The scar is no more," Taeyong whispered.

"With or without scar, you're beautiful and you can't change my mind about it, Taeyong. Because it is your soul which I'm falling in love with."

It's weird how Taeyong still blushing even though he must have gotten used to Jaehyun speak mushy words, "did you not already love me?"

"I do and I'm still falling deeper."

"You're too much," Taeyong blushed harder, "be careful or they'll be just words spoken."

"They never lie," Jaehyun kissed his cheek, nose then lips, lingering there for a moment before he's going down to kiss Taeyong's protruding stomach, "I love you, I love our baby."

Taeyong hates the way tears gathering in his eyes and how warm the king's words feel, letting him stroking his stomach tenderly, every stroke helping him to accept and slowly coming to love the life which growing within him. He couldn't say anything, too overwhelmed, so he chose to close his eyes and for the tears to wet his cheeks a little bit.

Jaehyun's voice sounds like a soft lullaby when he whispered to his temple, "sleep now, love, you're safe with me."


	5. Moon Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning** : Violence and Gore (blood, fatal wounds)

The moon once again coming closer to her full shine, rising the ocean and the wind to rush through the lands. For some, they don't need to look to know, they feel in the rush of their blood, the same way it did within Taeyong. From the rare visit the gumiho grants him, he came to know that heats grow in this period before the full moon, but for Taeyong, it only happened once. Because then, he wasn't carrying. There's a sense of aggression rousing inside him instead, like tides being called by the moon, and he could feel it calling his other side. But he couldn't really give it a mind, because there's another pressing matter at hand which troubled not only the king, but everyone else in that kingdom.

"There's been another uproar in some areas at night, approximately ten civilians fell victims at each area," Youngho informed, restless and concerned, almost missed the way the palace advisor giving him a disapproving look for not addressing the king properly when the hall is filled with other officials, "your majesty."

"Has it been known if it was by the same group of people?"

"They appear to have the same kind of wounds, although some deaths seemed... _natural_ , your majesty."

Jaehyun lifted an eyebrow, "natural?"

"They died in what seemingly natural death because there was no wounds or the sort. But the placement of their bodies doesn't seem natural considering the situation, they also have no recent history of being sick to have caused such sudden death and in such _convenient_ time, your majesty," Youngho elaborated.

"Seemingly..." Jaehyun rubs his chin in thoughts, thinking over the possibilities of these events to relate to the other side, after all he didn't know what they're capable of. If these creatures really like what those stories tells, with magic and the sort, causing sudden death doesn't seem far fetched. Then that also mean, that the recent attacks wasn't done _only_ by the wolves, "how about the guards in those areas?"

"They were all gone, your majesty."

"Gone? As in?"

"They're dead, your majesty," Youngho said in what sounds like impatience.

"Their attack seemed to be timed with the one near the capital, it is planned and not without aim, your majesty. I have a mind that they're trying to undo us before trying to hit closer to the palace," Minhyung added, "I would suggest we strengthens the palace security, your majesty."

It is wise to do so since Jaehyun believe that their ultimate goal was the palace, _Taeyong_. But the ones who are suffering and directly affected were his people, he must think of the safety of all, "increase security in the capital and put some numbers in neighboring areas which was attacked, make sure to give supportive help to the surviving people."

"If I may, your majesty, I do understand what the palace advisor was suggested and it is wise to take it into consideration, because if we don't have enough resources to secure the capital, it'll be far too easy for them to take our fall, your majesty," another said, yet again another few are nodding.

"I'm aware, but we can't simply disregard them," he shift his attention to the other side of the hall where Youngho and Doyoung are standing with the other higher army officials, "generals?"

Doyoung and the other generals took a moment to discuss shortly before the man answered, "I pray we have enough to have your plan into motion, your majesty."

Jaehyun nodded, raising a hand to few officials who were ready to object, he gives a look to Youngho, "Then that's that. I'll be counting on you, Youngho-shi. Go back to your stations now, all of you."

"Your majesty," they all bowed deeply before taking their leave, sparing the hall with only the king and his closest subjects.

"Make sure that you're certain about this Youngho, report everything even the little ones to avoid any blunder," he added into the silence.

"We can make do with reinforcement from other armies, a close one, but it's not impossible."

"Is there anything you have to tell us, your majesty?" Minhyung asked, intention obvious where his question was addressing. The arrival of an outsider in his private palace.

"It appears I don't, Minhyung, or would you address it more directly should I know what was it you meant?"

The advisor knows it wasn't his place to say, "no, your majesty, I'll be taking my leave now."

Youngho waits until the palace advisor far enough to ask, "how is he?"

"Good, just a bit sick, but I'm hoping he'll settle in soon," Jaehyun answered with a smile, couldn't help the warmth in his chest at the constant reminder that Taeyong is with him in the palace. He would not lie that leaving his secret lover alone in his private palace does make him wary, afraid that anyone would be daring enough to sneak into the forbidden area for ill intentions. The crown hall where he's currently at is quite a distance away from his private palace, but he reasoned that the private guards he posted there are enough.

"Something is brewing, Jaehyun, I hope you're not naive enough not to notice it."

"I'm well aware about it, Youngho, as much as you're trying to imply that things starting to escalate after him."

"Is it?" He asked not without challenge in his tone.

"It's not something I can disclose now before the right time."

"When is the right time? I pray it won't be too late."

Jaehyun touches his chin again, "let's pray it's not."

  
\--

  
The headache has been getting lighter and lighter as the days passed, being alone in the huge palace with only one maid servant and the invisible yet looming presences of guards surrounding the area, Taeyong can rest easier knowing that Jaehyun really keep his promise to keep people away from him. But the nausea seems to last, sometimes they don't only resurface in the morning but almost all day, not to mention there is some food he couldn't stand the sight nor stomach it. With his visits to the toilet and big stomach, it is not hard for these people to come to an easy conclusion and he wonders if it's a bad thing or not.

"My lady, are you okay?" The young girl who's been assigned as his maidservant, Hyeon, asked, stroking his back softly.

"I'll be fine," he answered in a whisper, pale faced with telltale of ease finally coming. He wanted to correct the maid that he's no lady, but it's much too complicated to explain with his current predicament so he let it be.

"Would you like something to make you feel better, my lady?" Hyeon asked after helping him to sit down at the nearest chair in the king's private garden.

"I think I'll be fine-"

"Perhaps some water could do her good."

The both of them turned to the voice, finding a man standing not far, behind a fan which he holds hiding half of his face. Taeyong didn't recognize the man, but according to how Hyeon immediately bowing deeply and his attire which speak of high status, it's not hard to understand that the man must be a royalty. And of a high one since they're in the king's garden where no one is allowed in unless by the king's permit.

"Your highness," Hyeon greeted, motioning to Taeyong to do the same with a bow, informing, "Prince Jongwoon is the queen mother's first son."

With alert, his heart kicked, worry mounting, why is he here? Is he allowed in by Jaehyun? If not, Taeyong might as well be standing in the middle of the palatial affair about to unfold, nevertheless he bowed as deeply as his current body allowed him.

The man motion again to the maid servant, "fetch her some water, and something light and preferably a bit sour. I've heard they could help an expecting woman, couldn't they?"

Again, his chest aching at how hard his heart is thundering. Every word the man said aren't fully due to concern, but more about to reel him in to speak the truth. A king, hiding a pregnant lover in his private palace, doesn't seem to be too little of an issue. Taeyong afraid if he walks right into his trap will not only lead to his fall but also questioning the king's credibility. No matter Jaehyun had said that as the king he'll be pardoned of almost anything, it's favorable to avoid stirring problem.

"Your highness, I don't think-" he started only to be cut off by the Prince.

"Did I not make myself clear?" He eyes the maid servant, sending her up to her feet, "I wish to speak with this lady."

If Taeyong to be truthful, he almost plead the woman to stay where she is, it's nothing good to be alone with someone who's most probably at odds with Jaehyun. But it'll trouble her since it was a direct order by a prince even though she's especially assigned to Taeyong, and so it didn't take long for the maidservant to be on her way giving them unwanted privacy. He stays seated rigidly, looking elsewhere in silence, afraid to possibly say something wrong.

"It is a shame, that I only have the pleasure to meet you now after days had passed," the Prince said, slowly putting down his fan to reveal his face without the presence of a low born. "Of all things said, in the flesh, you really speak them into existence."

"Pardon?" Taeyong wondering about his position that he should have stood up in the presence of the Prince, but he really couldn't care less with the way his feet are hurting and nausea still stirring ever so slightly in his gut. "My utmost apologies that I could not-"

"Stay seated, this won't be long," he grinned, eyes trailing every inch of his body and questions loud within them.

The stare makes Taeyong uncomfortable, something feels terribly wrong with this man, something which Taeyong couldn't exactly understand but rather feel it in his blood, like trembles of a rather familiar sensation. A sensation he only came to know recently, although he couldn't remember what kind of situation it was, "is there something I could help you with, your highness?"

"I've heard of your beauty and strength, one which sends reasons into oblivion and wreckage. Followers to gather at your kindness and charm to paint colors on people," the Prince said, hovering, shadows falling under the sun with warning firing in the thick silence of the air between them, "you're a beauty indeed, but I can't yet see how could you have enough to set motion into everything."

The words said doesn't make sense for Taeyong, he couldn't understand what the Prince is getting at, but it is undeniable there's a sense of danger pulsating. Familiar, so familiar, "where have you heard all that, your highness?"

The Prince grinned, something dark like a night without a moon filling in his eyes, catching Taeyong in alert and remembrance of what he's been sensing, "you tell me, silver fur."

"You-!" Suddenly there's a hand gripping his face, successfully stopping him to send a warning to the guards.

"Shh, not yet, let's not cut our meeting too short, shall we?" He chuckled, so effortlessly keeping Taeyong at bay, unflinching even though the strength on his cheeks wasn't something a human could pull off. This man, is different than the wolf which attacked him before, still barely do anything yet profoundly stronger. Taeyong realized what he's been sensing was nonhuman presence and killing intent," You see, it's not so hard to infiltrate the palace, but it's not favorable if you got me caught."

The fact that this creature engaging him into conversation, could only mean that he's underestimating Taeyong or he want an agreement which will benefit him, "and what do you seek from me?" He asked with a low growl.

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" He scoffed, gripping Taeyong stronger when he wanted to break free, "shh, stay down, you don't want to aggravate me. I'm only letting you live for so long because I was curious, but you're not much of what I thought you would be."

Taeyong didn't miss the way the hand on his face trembled a bit, and the single drop of sweat rolling down the man's neck. It was bluff, something about Taeyong must have affected him, but before he knows what was it, he couldn't do anything rash. That is, until the man whispered, "even this little touch has an effect huh? But that's okay, I can finish you off without touching you. You see, it's nothing personal, but your power is a hindrance, this is why you must be erased."

 _Touch_. Taeyong remember of how the gumiho asked him not to touch him. _His touch affects them_. The man's eyes turned red, shining and suddenly Taeyong's body goes numb and unable to move, then the hand on him letting go. This one must be of something else than a wolf, because they don't smell like wet fur nor do wolves have red eyes, this was magic which locked his body. The man grins again, wide and twisted, a sense of superiority and satisfaction dominating his face.

"Any last word?"

Taeyong can feel the dripping sweat on his back, of his end looming staring right into his eyes, it's now or never. He's concentrating to the fullest to feel his body again, dread pounding so strongly when the man raises his hand about to deal his first and presumably last attack. A swing and then, before the man could reach him, Taeyong force his arm to move, catching the hand and stopped it mid air.

There's shock filling the man's appearance, "how could you-"

"You just made everything clear to me, you idiot," Taeyong hissed out of frustration and a sense of accomplishment, sweat drenching his whole body from the massive effort just to move his body. He couldn't afford to be careless, this creature is strong and if he do just a little slip, he'll be done for. "It makes a difference when you know what I could and not do, and you made it known to me that my touch is doing something to the likes of you. Either they pains you or-"

He forced his other arm to move, take much less effort than before and aimed for the creature's face, "they're nullifying your power!"

Immediately the creature howling in pain, skin changing color and Taeyong watch in horror how the face turning into something else, something definitely not human. A shapeshifter. With desperation and heart hammering out of trepidation, he pushes forward and pressing harder before he focuses all his strength onto his other hand to grip on the creature's neck instead, shouting in hopes to alert the guards, "intruder!"

Hands grabbing at him, still strong enough even though Taeyong uses his full strength to hold him and crippling his power, "this is far from the end, silver fur, no matter if you kill me here. There are many wants you dead."

Mercy is always residing inside Taeyong, but after the words said, he recognizes the consequences of letting this creature alive. And so, not without terror shaking his core, he forced his hands to twist strong enough to break the man's neck, feeling the vibration resonating horribly in his own bones out of fear and dread along with his scream ridden with guilt. The body goes limp, Taeyong let go in haste as if they burn his skin, trembles taking over his body for he once again, killed another life. He will never get used to having blood and deaths on his hands, a terrorizing thought knowing that this is far from the end of it.

When the guards marching in, far too late at their entry, they found a lifeless body by his feet and went into screeching noises in Taeyong's head. He turned away, didn't have it in him to witness his deed, for thoughts and questions to fill his mind instead. He's rubbing his face in a terrifying realization, of what the creature had said and what the gumiho had implied before, finally they take place in the never ending puzzle. Touch.

' _You're dangerous for me now_.'

Now. Not before, but _now_ , his current condition. Horror rears its head before him, hands cradling his heavy stomach now, "oh my God, they weren't really after me."

  
\--

  
"I said, nobody is allowed in!" The king's voice thundering in the huge private palace, vibrating in the air and into Taeyong's scared heart for never seeing the man that livid. "Do I have to drill it into your empty brains what does nobody meant?!"

The special guards could only lower their heads even more at the spat of anger, looking so small before the angry king, cowering. They're waiting for the punishment so well deserved for their blunder, oblivious to the king's raging urge to behead them all if not for the capital needing more numbers in defense. In the end, Doyoung is given the honor to punish them and Jaehyun to disperse them from his sight, carefully walking to troubled Taeyong.

"Are you alright?"

The king's voice is so gentle, talking so softly to him in such a contrast to his previous rage. The fingers which slowly brushing his hair too, are so delicate that Taeyong closes his eyes to find ease in them.

"I'm fine... just, tired."

"Are you sure? Do you need something?" He asked and sitting down beside Taeyong on the bed.

"I'm really... fine, shaken but, fine..." he whispered, holding the hand on his cheek, "what happened?"

"They weren't sure my order extended to the former Crown Prince, that's what happened," Jaehyun clicked his tongue in disapproval, "but that wasn't him, the real prince was with the queen mother in her palace, what was with you was... not him. It was something else, grotesque being was what they disposed of from my palace. Right now it rouses questions within the councils to determine what was it."

"Isn't that... bad? For them to know that these creatures exist...?" He asked warily.

"Truthfully, it makes it easier for me, it's hard to contain the knowledge that what's aiming for the capital was anything but human, so this event give them thoughts to feed on. It becomes the generals' worry to think over strategies to secure the capital," he scoffed, before his eyes softening again and looking to Taeyong, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I've been better but really, there's nothing to worry about me."

Jaehyun smiled, kissing his cheek in relief, "I'm really glad that you're strong enough, but I'm so sorry and regretting the fact that I put you into it because I wasn't careful enough."

"It's not your fault so please stop that," Taeyong sighed, fingers fluttering on his protruding stomach, "and it wasn't only my power then..."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember what the gumiho said? That I'm dangerous to him now? Possibly to our kind, and now means my current condition, right? Considering I never was capable of such thing, I think those powers was... our baby's."

Jaehyun stare at him in silence, thinking and considering the circumstances, "the chain of reaction since our encounter, doesn't it? If we didn't meet, we wouldn't be in this situation, resulting to you carrying a child. So our baby is... the answer?"

"Think about it, Jaehyun, the prophecy said something about me being a bridge, and the gumiho said that we stand at two opposite ends. Your kind and my kind, I bridged us with our... baby. Two ends... there's still two ends I need to choose," Taeyong whispered, finger touching his lips in thought, "our baby's ability is to nullify their power, or at least something similar. The fact that I was capable to... end them who attacked me, must be because their power were somewhat suppressed. Then-"

"Then had I choose not to mingle with you at first, there would be no baby, but they would still try to attack the humans due to the prophecy. And without your help... without our baby, that might lead my kind to..." Jaehyun realized his own prophecy, "...ruin. That's why the gumiho said it's crucial to keep you alive or else it'll be an annihilation."

"The puzzle pieces fit," Taeyong agrees in a whisper, instinctively reaching to hold each other hand in a vain attempt to find comfort. "Were they scared because our baby has the capability to make them vulnerable? After all those years hunted by men, it's either fear and revenge isn't it?"

"They want to finish it once for all, I think," Jaehyun stare deep into Taeyong's eyes, now the fate is in the man's hands, "the ends you have to choose, it's either my kind or your kind, Taeyong."

He visibly shivered, shaking hands rubbing his stomach, "how can I choose over many lives...? Even if I'm in the between, I'm more human for living as one for so long, but I couldn't just choose depending on that, could I?"

"Taeyong, I would tell you that you shouldn't rush, but there's something you need to know," Jaehyun hesitated, thinking over the words he should say, "there have been many attacks happening recently, I'm afraid the day when you should choose is coming closer soon."

"Jaehyun, I... how can I-"

"Request for permission for entry by a messenger from general Youngho-nim!" A guard from the outside shouted to be recognized, causing them to get surprised especially the king. It was already late evening, any messenger from Youngho must be emergency.

"Stay here for a moment, Taeyong. I'll need to get this," he said quickly before walking out to retrieve the message, "what is it you brought me?"

"Your majesty!" The messenger said in haste while kneeling before him, "general Youngho-nim has sent me to inform you that there's an attack near the capital right now with approximately five hundred people against our army which stationed there."

It's always at night, Jaehyun thought, "even with the new deployment, there should be enough stationed to counter such numbers, doesn't it? What is the status?"

"Your majesty, we have about two thousand in the capital, but..." the messenger stuttered to stop, a drop of sweat rolling down his temple, "they're not exactly human, your majesty, and they've taken down quite a number on us. The generals in need of your assistance to lead, your majesty."

It is not often that the generals under Youngho's command to ask his leadership, with a dreading sense Jaehyun realized, this is war. He turned his head to see that Taeyong secretly taking a look from behind a curtain, finding fear in his eyes, he couldn't let him take all the burden and so he answered the messenger, "ready my horse, I shall be on my way soon."

"Your majesty!" the messenger gives his final bow before rushing away with more messages to deliver.

Jaehyun also rushing away, only stopping when Taeyong be on his path with worry radiating off him, "Jaehyun please don't tell me you're going to be at the frontline, I can't bear to lose you, you know that humans can't withstand their power, please-"

"Taeyong, they must have known that the birth is coming along soon, that's why they've become so daring like this. They're desperate. I'm aware to expect the worse because I knew what they might be capable of, but my men didn't, I need to lead them," Jaehyun try to soothe with his most gentle tone, but it was futile for they fall on deaf ears, scared for his life.

"But you can't save anyone if you fall now! If you... I won't care whatever hell this world will be, I'll kill them all, everyone," Taeyong cried with a frustrated growl, yanking at the king's gown desperately.

"I won't," he hushed the man with a kiss to his forehead, caressing the black silky hair softly, undeniable for his soul is terrified too. "I won't die."

"You don't know what they're capable of, they're too strong, they could kill many of you with just a swing of their hands, you can't-"

"I won't be at the frontline, I won't," Jaehyun promised, "but I really need to go even if only leading the strategies."

"But you're still putting yourself at risk," Taeyong cried, tears doesn't seem to stop, too painful, too afraid, too dark of a future he sees ahead.

"I will be there," a voice said from above them, finding the gumiho smirking and perched on the ceiling logs, "I'll be supporting you boys, don't fret."

There was no time to question anything else but, "why would you do that? They're your kind," Jaehyun asked.

"Yeah, but," he jumped down to stand beside them, hands on his waist, "I'm as much in the fate to make choices, without me it'll make the end come too soon before the supposedly end should happen. And it's not an end which will be beneficial to me."

"I can't trust you, I don't know whose side you're on," Taeyong said sternly.

"I'm on my own side," he chuckled, "and I'm always in for balance, your human army is unbalanced against them."

"You just want war," Jaehyun accused.

"That's another way to put it, but let's just say I'm helping you to counter them before fate take place," he shrugged.

Jaehyun took Taeyong's hands to let go of his robe, but the man's grip tightens, "You can't trust him Jaehyun."

"We don't have much choice," he said, finally letting go Taeyong's hold on him and be ready for his journey, motioning the gumiho with a jerk of his head, "should I find you suspicious, I'll be forced to count you as much of a threat as they're to us."

"Sure, your majesty," he bowed in mock.

"Jaehyun..."

It's hard to see Taeyong like that, tears wetting his cheeks ridden with slight dark bags under his eyes, getting thinner despite the added weight, heavy with fate and burden. So small and fragile. He doesn't want to leave him alone if he could help it, but he must, "I'll be back soon, trust me, I won't do anything you'll need to worry."

"That's hard to believe," Taeyong smiled despite it, "come back to me."

"I will," he kissed him on the lips, a bit longer, then he lets go to hurry, "let's be on our way, gumiho."

"The name is Heechul, you earned that," he grinned, winking to Taeyong before trailing behind Jaehyun.

"You must keep him safe, or I swear," Taeyong said with an underlying plea to the gumiho.

"I will Taeyong, his existence is important," he stops, then with a knowing smile he added, "perhaps you couldn't smell yourself that's why you missed it. When the prophecy told about two ends, I don't think it's quite the same with what you thought of, maybe it's two with different meaning."

Taeyong didn't understand what the gumiho was implying, but he didn't miss the way his eyes fleeting down until the realization hits him when both men already gone from his sight. Hurriedly he calls for his maidservant, "Hyeon! Please call for Hyeon!"

Not long, the maidservant emerges from one of the rooms in the long corridors surrounding the king's private palace, "yes, my lady?"

A single, worrying sweat dripping down his skin, "I need someone to check something."

  
\--

  
Defense in that night was grueling, nobody dared to blink a second longer, the lines of people in armor rise their weapons, pointing to the burning sky and echoes of screams. Before them, they didn't see a similar army within stiff armor, but instead of fur and fangs, of people with shining eyes, of pale people with inhuman speed and strength. Many of their numbers had fallen, hands wet and trembling upon the metals in fear for their lives, because even when they tear and inflicted gushes of blood, the enemies remains, fighting back with more urgency. They're being wiped out, like sand in the wind, and there's no salvation in dying hope.

Until fire broke out whenever the enemies got too close, sending those creatures to fall back, betrayal and anger burning along within them. "Traitor!" Was the countless shouts coming from them to the beautiful man who created the unceasing fire.

"Try not to burn too many of my people's houses," the king said, mounting a horse far at the back of the front line of defense. The civilians were all evacuated from the war zone with the help of some guards, one less thing to mind yet it's not nearly enough to calm Jaehyun's nerves.

"They're attacking areas which were dense with people, how can I help it? At least I didn't burn anyone, houses can be rebuilt," the gumiho scoffed.

"Will the fire help?"

"Some are adverse to fire, some to silver, some you can get with good aim to their hearts. Are you a good archer or swordsman?"

Jaehyun galloping forward just enough for good range, strong bow in his hands and lets go an arrow straight to one's heart, "both."

"Aim for the ones with pale skin then, you'll need to think of silver ammunition," the gumiho laughs, brewing another fire for the ones about to wave their hands, "the witches really hard to deal with, oh how I hate their kind."

"Send a messenger back to the councils!" Jaehyun shouted and immediately a guard ran to his side, "alert every smiths available, heat their forges and make for silver ammunition. I require another sword with me and for the men, go now!"

The messenger rush away with another as his cover, but Jaehyun puts too much attention on the messengers that he took a moment to notice a big bodied creature crashing forward on the frontline, successfully smashing good numbers and almost hit him too. Heechul was fast, raising a wall of fire around the king and forced the creature backward while burning them to the bones.

"You can't get distracted in war Jaehyun!" The gumiho hissed in annoyance, "I gave my name to protect you so don't you fucking cross it with your own stupidity."

"What was that?" He asked in fear mixed with awe, the creature was huge, lethal and something he has yet thought of a strategy to counterattack.

"That was the shapeshifting demon, there's few of them here," Heechul informed in a tight voice, looking up to the sky when thunder booming through the hot air, soft rain starting to fall, "shit, another bad news. I'm aware they have some elemental demons, I underestimated them that it never cross my mind one was strong enough to manipulate weather, against my fire too. This will be getting tougher, Jaehyun, be ready."

"My bow and sword are always ready."

  
It's loud and clear to hear the horrifying noises of the war even far into the king's private palace, leaving Taeyong feeling helpless and frustrated. If only he could fight alongside Jaehyun, if only he wasn't in this condition, he wouldn't take a no to stand with the army. Alas, there he is tormented with his helplessness and anxiety over the new found realization. He grips at his tight, protruding stomach, thinking and hoping, if he could nullify those creatures' power by touch, is it possible to touch the air and widen the ability through it? He can only try.

He put himself into a sitting position on the carpeted floor, hands up in the air with closed eyes and knitted eyebrows. He can see only darkness behind his eyelids and the emptiness around his eyes, still he focusses into the blackness, the feeling of his blood rush stirring under his skin until, he feels a vibration against his palms. It caught him by surprise for a moment, before he tries again and much quicker than previously, he feels a sense of thickness against his hands, like pressure and mass in the air. The more he concentrates on the feeling, suddenly he sees images behind his eyelids through the darkness, of the situation at the frontline.

His heart leaps in relief when he sees Jaehyun still well and alive, trying to believe what he's seeing really is what's happening out there. Then, he tries to feel the air again, shifting through the colliding mass of people surrounded by fire and caught the sense of ones with stronger vibration than the humans. Both his body and gown are drenched in his sweat, yet not once his concentration broke. And with a twist of his hands, he touches the creatures through space and air, suppressing the vibrating that they held.

  
"Oh."

"What is it?" Jaehyun turned to the gumiho who's appears shocked with widened eyes, alarmed for the worst thought, his grip upon his weapons tightens.

"Taeyong, that badass," Heechul grinned, "he's doing it while singling me out? Amazing, and he does it out of instinct, the chosen one really is different, huh?"

"Taeyong? What is he doing?" He asked out of fear.

Heechul pointing to the sky, the rain steadily letting up until it was no more, "he's suppressing their power, Jaehyun, he's doing all that by himself, there was no one in history capable for such power."

Jaehyun look forward into the war before him, and true enough, it was dwindling and his army pressing them backward in so much speed that the difference was a strong contrast, "...all of them?"

"And he's capable of more, still," Heechul snorted, "all the while he's suppressing them, he's also increasing your human army's strength, magnificent."

The king watches in astonishment how the pulsing wave of war changes its course, pushing the creatures to fall back far enough that he's galloping forward to follow his army. With risen sword and motioning to his generals, he shouted with new fervor, "forward!"

Youngho, Doyoung and other generals relays in the burning air, "forward!"

Jaehyun's heart is hammering within his ribcage with intensity, full of awe and hope, victory isn't lost.

"Forward!"

  
\--

  
He waits, when the sun is climbing up, he knows from his vision that he's ready to welcome his love. The moon is the source of those creatures' power much like himself, but for the humans, the sun was their strongest companion. It's been a long moment since the war disperse, yet Jaehyun hasn't come back and Taeyong growing antsy in his waiting. But then, he's rewarded with the sight of the king on his horse accompanied with Youngho and Doyoung, coming back dirty of smoke and the smell of blood.

Yet, alive.

"Jaehyun!" He runs since he couldn't wait any longer, catching the man in an embrace as soon as he unmount his horse.

"I'm back, like I promised," Jaehyun whispered and embracing him back, signaling with his eyes for the other men to leave with his horse in tow. "It's okay now, Taeyong."

"For a while," suddenly the gumiho materialized behind Taeyong, "they retreated and it'll take them a moment to come up with something else, now that they know you're capable to suppress them."

"Gumiho," Taeyong acknowledged the man's presence with a nod, hands sliding off Jaehyun to touch his stomach, "what you told me before, was it about...?"

"I would take off my hat to salute your cleverness, but I don't wear any hat," Heechul laughed.

"What is it about?" Jaehyun asked in confusion, having his wrist pulled by Taeyong.

"Let's come inside first." They walked inside the private palace where no one could hear them, Taeyong heaved a long, deep exhale before he begins, "we figured out that the baby holds an ability to nullify their power, right? But it seems... The other one has an ability opposite to that."

Jaehyun is still confused, couldn't really understand what was said to him, "the other one?"

The man bites his lower lip, expression ridden with uncertainty and wariness, "Jaehyun, I think I'm... With twins."

It took the king even harder and longer to comprehend, like rough sands pouring down too slowly in an hourglass, "...twins?"

"The two ends which being said in the prophecy, it's not the result of what's happening right now, I bridged us and bearing two ends of the bridge. There are two inside me, one nullifying and the other enhancing. It's balance."

The gumiho nodded in affirmation, but Jaehyun is still lost in his mind to really understand it, until, "we're having two babies?"

Taeyong chuckled, although not without slight worry tainting it, because it appears the king only mind their babies and not the effect it would have on the ongoing war against dark lurkers, "yes, there are two, but I hope you're listening to the part where I said that they're-"

Jaehyun embraces him tightly, warm and strong, "I don't know if that's good for you or not, is it wrong that I'm happy to hear that? We're going to have children!"

"Jaehyun..." Taeyong laughed softly, warmth in his heart and how such excitement soothing his initial worry, "yes, we will."

"Wrong time to celebrate, but go on," the gumiho said with crossed arms on his chest, prompting the two to let go even though Jaehyun still keep a hand on Taeyong, "now that you know the key is in your hands, it's time to make the choice, Taeyong. They might take time, but I'm afraid it won't be more than mere days before they come to attack to their fullest."

"I know, but right now, I'm still don't know what choice I should make."

"There's always another than the two, Taeyong, I know you can see it."

Both Taeyong and Jaehyun can only watch the gumiho disappears with thoughts storming in their minds.

  
The day was busy, everyone running in the palace for discussions, mend the injured and burying the fallen ones. Cries and screams still filling the sky in grief and pain along with snow like ashes, some are lucky, some are not. They were lucky that Jaehyun came back unscathed, but it could be not the same for the next. It was late in the night when the king could finally rest in his chamber, accompanied by his lover who's lying beside him on his vast, golden bed. Eyes awake despite the exhaustion within their bodies, of worries and thoughts to sort out.

"Are you okay? How's your arm?"

Taeyong shifts in the bed to cuddle closer, head on Jaehyun's chest, "don't worry it's healing nicely and I'm just tired."

"I'm glad," he sighed softly, rounding an arm around Taeyong's torso and his other hand stroking the man's arm, "I've been thinking about this, I'm just not sure if it really was the case."

"What is it?"

"Is your waist... getting thicker?" He asked hesitantly.

A chuckle left Taeyong's lips in humor, shoulder slightly shaking against the king, "I don't know to be honest, my overall body is still thin except for my stomach, but maybe it is, or that my waist bones rearranging their shape for easy passage considering the way they're hurting so much all the time."

"You're hurting? Even now?" The king stops, then added, "do human's body do that? I don't think they do... maybe because you're a special case."

"Yes... but it's okay, really. I don't want to think about-" Taeyong jolted to sit up in a flash, head up and eyes towards the ceiling although they're seeing beyond the worldly material. With lightning speed he brings up both arms expecting a weight of something he sensed before coming, and indeed, there's a sense of invisible mass and pressure in the air just like when he was touching those creatures' power. With haste and how it's quickly approaching their location, Taeyong try to press both his hands together, getting a strong resistance denying his attempt to stop whatever it is.

"Taeyong, what's happening?" Jaehyun asked softly although there's an undeniable panic brimming under.

"Take cover Jaehyun! Something is coming," Taeyong hissed, skin damp with sweat when the resistance between the space on his hands getting alarmingly stronger. He could have handled it last night, why is it hard now? Is it because his energy running out and he couldn't utilize the power within him anymore? Or is it because the attack was delivered by many? But then he remembers, babies, they are two of them with opposite abilities. If he could just make it that the other who have enhancement power to increase the one who's nullifying, he must be able to stop this incoming attack. He shouted to the king angrily at the same time he's trying to utilize two powers at the same time like last night, "I said take cover!"

"I won't leave you and you can't make me!" Jaehyun shouted as loud.

"I hope this doesn't hurt you guys, please be safe, I'm so sorry I don't have any other choice," Taeyong whispered to himself, to the lives inside him, whom he had come to love gradually. He forced the power stirring within his gut to suppress the speed and strength of the incoming, only for it to explode within his closed hands and the ceiling. Woods and stones pelting strong enough to pierce thick flesh, slashing through his skin all over his arms and torso, but it was raining mostly on Jaehyun who tried to shield him from the explosion.

"Jaehyun!" He screamed at the terror the sight presented to him, but even amidst the panic, he didn't fail to see the sight glow coming of the king, "I told you to take cover!"

"I couldn't- let anyone of us to- visit death," Jaehyun coughed in shock, spots of blood dripping from his rattling pipe due to the accidental inhalation of splinters of woods.

"You're killing yourself doing this! I could have taken it since I'm healing faster-"

"If I hadn't shielded you, you'll take all the blow and even your fast healing couldn't save you!" He screamed out, aggravating his damaged lungs even more.

"Silence!" Taeyong retorted strongly, terrified and panicking, calling for any kind of help, "Help! Anyone! Heechul!"

"I'm here, I'm here, I sensed it a bit too late it seems," the gumiho materialized right in front of them, crouching down to take the fall of the king, cradling him, "goddamn, you suppressed it already and it was still this strong? They're using mass power now, they're desperate. But... aside from the damage to his lungs, he seems rather fine." His face was calm, trying his best not to rise more panic in Taeyong.

"I am fine, just... my chest hurting..." Jaehyun wheezed, "and I feel... suddenly very sleepy..." he's blinking, until he's falling asleep.

"Do something! Heal him Heechul!" He rushes, standing rigidly with hands over his mouth.

"It's strange, my healing power seems to be denied by his body. It feels like something is rejecting my energy," the gumiho is pressing his glowing hands on Jaehyun's chest, "Help me here Taeyong, make it stronger."

Taeyong didn't ever register the pain in his knees when he falls down to the hard ground, hurrying to help. He presses his hands over the king's body too, noticing the way they're growing hotter to enhance the gumiho's power to heal him. It was in the middle of the chaos did guards come flooding in, clearing the debris from the explosion and shouting things the other two couldn't really mind, bullets of sweat running on their bodies in unbreakable concentration.

Jaehyun feels like he's floating under water, he didn't even register the pain in his chest any longer, just that thick cloud in his mind and consciousness drifting back and forth.

"They delivered some poison in the attack too it seems, I think that's what makes him falling asleep," Heechul hissed, eyes glowing with sharp fangs and claws at his attempt to maximized his power. Yet still, it feels like water passing through stones, they seem to seep out of Jaehyun's body.

"What should we do?" Taeyong trembled with anxiety. Jaehyun look fine except for the little drops of blood from his mouth, but seeing the man losing consciousness like that worries him.

"He's healing himself..." Heechul said in confusion and awe, "he shouldn't be capable of doing that and yet, he is... his body is healing itself. It's rejecting my power because his body is... protecting him? Like there's a power within him which cocoons him."

"How is that possible?" Taeyong whispered in the same confusion.

The king's private palace now filled not only by the guards but also many other palace people, murmurs hanging in the air like flies over rotting flesh, waiting with stifling breath and looming demons, feeding on their fear. They have witnessed irrational things from the war and added with the scene before them, they come to questions of what they've been believing in all their lives. They live their life believing in mystical creatures and superstitions, but seeing it unravel so realistically in front of them, does make them to question their sanity, strange as it may.

Taeyong still worried, "...Jaehyun?"

"'M fine... just sleepy..." the king mumbled softly.

"He's fine Taeyong, he's just sleeping to... heal himself, that's really weird. Considering he took most of the hit, a human like him shouldn't be able to withstand it and yet here we are. I may have marked him to be more susceptible to our kinds and heightens senses, but something like this is not my mark's doing."

"Are you sure he's fine?" He whispered, bringing the king's hand to his lips and kissed it, wary.

"He's fine, believe me, anytime soon he might start snoring."

"He doesn't snore," Taeyong answered, causing the gumiho to chuckle.

"Good, less embarrassment then," he hugs the two in what he thinks is a sense of caring. He didn't realize he had come to care for the two that much, more than his initial goal in helping them, "Taeyong, there are people here."

The said man looks up finally noticing the crowd, feeling too relieved to really worry what they have to say to what the people have witnessed, "I just want him safe..." he whispered tiredly, his own wounds already healing much faster, further making it clear that he's not a human. He won't leave Jaehyun even if they would try to separate them after this, he won't listen.

Nobody says anything except Youngho who's been looming just behind them, "I know, Taehee, I know you love him dearly. Worry not, we're starting to see what's happening here. I just need some answers, did they, whatever those creatures are, went after the king because of you?"

Taeyong bites his lower lip, "they're after us, because we... because we're connecting the otherwise separated worlds previously."

Youngho is frowning, not at all understanding the given answer, "would all these recent events happen if you two didn't meet?"

"They were already after them even before they met," the gumiho answered instead, "it'll happen worse should they not meet."

"Worse, how?" Youngho demanded.

"An annihilation of your kind, humans," Heechul answered simply stirring more than terrified gasps from everyone.

Youngho share alarmed looks with Doyoung and the other people, turning back to the gumiho again, "and now? Are we avoiding such fate?"

"Now," Heechul gazes to Taeyong who's still cradling Jaehyun preciously, "it's up to choices to be made."

  
\--

  
"They didn't know, did they? That those powers don't belong to me but instead my children?" Taeyong asked, still holding the king's hand who's been in deep slumber for two days.

"It was a conclusion I came to by myself, so I couldn't really say if it's true or not. As far as I know it, they only know that it's not beneficial for them if the two of you met, and they didn't know what your gender either, so I think there's a chance that they didn't even know you're carrying. What makes you think they didn't know though?"

"The timing they chose to attack, if they know it was my children, then they would wait and have higher possibility to finish them after they're born, since they're just vulnerable babies. But with me still carrying them, they should know that their power is stirring within me who's capable to utilize it as you said it, making it more dangerous for them to attack now. If they think it's only me who's the threat, it is plausible to chase me as soon as they could to avoid the risk of me fully mastering the ability, couldn't it?"

Heechul hummed, "that does make sense. So you have in your mind to counter attack before it comes to that, putting your babies at risk."

"Yes, I think it's the best time to finish it once for all now, not later, but now, while I could still utilize their power." Taeyong stressed.

"You're forgetting the one who's capable to put people into motion is the king, how would you do that with him unconscious like this?" He observes the laying body on the bed.

"That's the thing, even if he comes about, I don't think he's in any condition for war now," Taeyong sighed tiredly in defeat.

"He only needs to recuperate for a while, I think his lungs is truly healed with his strange fast healing ability," he shrugged, "you want me to wake him up?"

"Is it wise to do so...?"

"Is it wise to wait until it's too late?" The gumiho asked back.

Taeyong is well aware this is his to make a choice, but he simply is lost, he couldn't be sure about what he should do with every choices holds their own consequences. He couldn't lose Jaehyun by risking it, he couldn't bear the thought. But he would risk losing everything if he didn't do something soon. Oh why it must be him, why fate chosen him?

"Every second counts, Taeyong."

He worries his bottom lip under his teeth, grinding in uncertainty, "then it's better something than losing everything... does it?"

"I'll protect both of you within my best capability, it's the decision which I made."

Taeyong stares at Heechul, tormented by the heavy burden, the words serve some comfort, but they didn't make it any less hard. With a long inhale, he finally decided, "let's wake him up and start the motion."

"Gladly-"

"No..." the other two look down to find the king blinking his eyes open, blurry and exhausted, but awake, "I already am."

"Jaehyun! Oh Jaehyun are you okay? Do you feel pain? Is anything-"

"Calm down, Taeyong... I'm fine, thank you," Jaehyun spoke so very gently, tone soft and deep, like a lake surrounded with old trees. He caresses Taeyong's smooth cheeks, wetting his fingers which met with tears and eyes upon glimmering glass, "do not weep for me, I am here, Taeyong."

"You couldn't ask me that, I'm worried about you," he sniffed, hands harrowing the golden blanket on the king's chest. "Please don't do anything stupid again, I can't lose you."

Jaehyun gazing at Taeyong's figure, "I think the same, Taeyong. When I see that I could lose you, I can't bear it and I don't want it to happen. My body moved by its own and the next, I remember of your voice, calling for me. I'm sorry to have worried you, to put you in such pain, but if it means keeping you from harm's way, I'll do it again, Taeyong. Forgive me..."

"You're just a human," Taeyong hiccups, shuddering breath hitting Jaehyun's neck.

"While I'm glad that you're stronger than human, still, I want to protect you," slowly with his fingers, he motioned for Taeyong to get closer, kissing his wet eyelashes, his cheeks then his lips, "it is not only me who needs protection, you're also, if not more. Let me be that, and let me support you for whatever choices you should make."

There's only love, love and love in Jaehyun's eyes, as if he's born to love and nothing else. Maybe that was why they're fated, for Jaehyun's love soften Taeyong's rough edges, while he's opening the king's eyes onto many things he had failed or denied to see. They complete each other, physically or emotionally, how strange and mysterious fate is.

Between them, no one knows if it's a good thing to fit so perfectly like that, harder to let go, more painful to forgive at the looming chances of being left alone without the other. But perhaps, as they gaze into each other eyes and found nothing but clear spring under the glowing sun, they think at this moment did they find the root of what is worth. Love, kindness, strength.

"I've made my choice," Taeyong whispered, eyes never stray away from the other pair of gentle dark brown eyes, holding the hand on his cheek tenderly as if they might fade away.

The king doesn't need it to be spoken, because through Taeyong's eyes, he knows of the choice which Taeyong has made, "then, we better plan it fast."

  
\--

  
Both Minhyung and Youngho did not agree to their plans when they laid it out bare, "You're out of your mind, that's absolutely ridiculous." The palace advisor who were always remember his place and addresses the king rightfully, failed to do so since disbelief shook his core.

"Agreed," Youngho added, "I've never questioned your plan, Jaehyun, but this is just... too risky. Should one thing goes wrong, we're all going to die."

"Should we not do this, all of us will die," the king pressed on.

"If you say it that this, Taehee, really is like anything you said that she is," Minhyung took a glance at Taeyong with a criticizing eye, "then shouldn't she capable of suppressing their power and supporting ours to which enable us to completely erase them?"

Before Jaehyun have a chance to speak, all of them except Taeyong, jolted out of shock when the gumiho growling loudly in disapproval. The man in disguise of a woman slowly speaks up, "even if we manage to lure all of them out with the help of Heechul, there must be children and alike out there, hidden much like I was. Aside from how pitiful it is to cause them to lose their family, it would be history repeating themselves, like weeds growing even thicker no matter how hard you try to rid them."

The palace advisor and the general gives questioning looks, confused and so Taeyong continues, "I used to hate all of you, even when I wasn't aware that I truly didn't belong with you. Had I not met your king, there might be little to no reason not to side with them when this fate came to be. Perhaps I'll spare a select few, but as such, it'll be kinder to end them rather than let them face such future where their kind all gone. And it's the same for them, it's already happening since they were hunted and forced into hiding by you, humans. We're all scared, we're all just wanted to survive. Or are you so selfish to let it be repeated in your legacy?"

The other two humans did not necessarily see the issue since they're only thinking of the best of their importance. But if they were to put themselves into the roles, would they let those creatures hurt their children? The answer is no, they wouldn't let anyone hurt any of them and it is the answer which Taeyong seek in their eyes. Eventually, Youngho exhaling in defeat, "if you must, then, elaborate what do you have in mind. There must be no compromise, we shall be thoroughly through."

The king is grinning with approval, stealing glances to Taeyong who likewise mildly relieved, "shall we?"

  
\--

  
They wait, the night of the full moon is risky for she strengthens the dark lurkers' power, although not only them but also Taeyong who's especially a child of the moon, of a creature gravitating to her much more than the others. But they'll need an incentive to catch them out of guard, an unexpected surprise. It is the sense of urgency both Taeyong and Heechul try to loom them with, the false sense of desperation on their part by wreaking havoc before the full moon, which caused an assumption on the dark lurkers that Taeyong might be weaker then.

Every night, they seek and burn every trace these creatures might leave, setting up strings to trap them. It helps that they don't know about Taeyong's nature, but he reckons that might not be the case for some, especially the wolves since they had hunted him from the moment he was born and killed his parents due to it.

"How do you know it'll work? How do you know they'll think that the full moon would bring you in disadvantage instead?" Youngho had asked once.

"Because they don't know me, they only know I'm different than the others, so seeing us trying to seek them so desperately like this, will lead them to such assumption. It's easy mind trick, in that one full moon night, they'll attack with all their might thinking they'll win for sure, without knowing that we will have power too. Nothing is better than fighting an enemy who thinks that they already won from the start. They wouldn't expect us to be as powerful as them at least," Taeyong explained.

"And so you'll burn people's houses to create such desperate setting?"

"Don't worry, I'll not burn anyone and you can ready a shelter for these people discreetly," the gumiho elaborated.

For many nights, fire burns bright and high in the dark sky, eliciting some screams before they cease after the guards lead the people to safety and temporary shelter. There's guilt within their heart, especially Jaehyun and the palace people, to have done so to these innocent people, but it was important and they could only promise to compensate them later. Jaehyun's ability to read minds would do well to calculate the dark lurkers' plans, alas, he found out that he could only do so with human's mind and that's why he couldn't read either Taeyong's or Heechul's. However, he reasoned that the two are clever, he trusts them to know what they're doing. What concern him the most was Taeyong's condition, being so heavy with twins, just looking at him waddling as he's moving about, makes Jaehyun sweat in nervousness.

"Are you sure we should do this now when you're like this?"

Taeyong cradles his huge stomach and swollen feet, face pale either from difficult breathing due to his lungs being restricted or anemia, they didn't know, "if we do it later after I give birth to them, I wouldn't be able to channel their power and there goes our only chance to win this, Jaehyun. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"But right now you're also vulnerable with the way you are, aren't you?" He worries.

"But we will be much more vulnerable if it's not now, isn't it? I can do this, so support me, support us."

The king knows he couldn't say more with the way Taeyong look so determined, after all he's only human and he could only do his best to protect everyone. As Taeyong help Heechul create chaos in some areas where the dark lurkers have gathered and might gather, they read the patterns and calculate where they might focus on their strongest attack on the full moon night. And with it Jaehyun deliver the plans to the generals to best counter attack it when the time comes.

Nearing the full moon, everyone is on their toes, even those who are used to combat are not spared from worry and fear. The gumiho, Heechul, give nothing to show whether he feel anything about it. For Jaehyun, who are wary about the incoming war, feels more scared about having to be separated with Taeyong when the plan is in motion. They've gone through the plan over and over again, thinking of any possible scenarios to cut it really short for mistakes to happen, but still a war is unpredictable as they can be moreover with unknown enemies.

The sun was only setting, but both Taeyong and Heechul could already feel the mass of power looming over them. Taeyong trembled at the intensity which only could be felt by those of the same kind, looking to the gumiho who likewise wearing a tight look, "is this as much as you expected?"

"I'm aware there are quite a lot of them out there, but with a strength like this one, I can only guess that they gather every single one there are in this country for the attack," the gumiho answered.

"So is it more than we have expected?" Jaehyun asked.

Taeyong shivered, because he feels it, he feels the burden and the reality of that question, "it is."

"We won't be sleeping my dudes," Heechul joked, trying to lift up the mood, although it didn't succeed.

"We should get ready now, it's getting dark and I'm sure they'll attack as soon as the sun is no more," the king said while getting up from his seat, looking to the other two and especially Taeyong, sending promises and worry through his eyes.

Taeyong, feel his stomach getting tighter, so heavy and distracting, even with the added power of the full moon, he still feels sluggish due to his condition, "I'll be fine, Jaehyun."

"It's hard to believe, but I trust you, so please know your limit and prioritize your safety, Taeyong."

"You too," he whispered, sliding his hand over the king's shoulder, holding it along with the wishes he keep within his thudding chest.

It was Jaehyun who leaning in for a kiss, a bit long, afraid to let go, "you must be okay, you must come back to me."

"I know, you too..." Taeyong kisses him back, also hard for him to let go.

"All of us will, all of us," the gumiho said, sharing the sentiment.

They all share a look, then Jaehyun voicing out what's been bothering him, "if the two of you could sense their power, then shouldn't they be able to sense yours?"

"They could sense me and Taeyong, but not the babies' if that's what you're asking," Heechul answered, "so long Taeyong yet use their power, they're undetected."

In the silence, they think through the plans again, until Jaehyun finally nodded, "let's do this."

  
The king never was obligated to join the army in war, but for Jaehyun, he must be present to split the predicted attack since the dark lurkers would aim for Taeyong and him. With them split up the incoming forces, there will be higher chances to withhold them than the frontal attack. That was why Jaehyun stationed himself amongst the midline in the forces, while Taeyong somewhere far rather hidden with Heechul alternating his location between the two as reinforcement should situation get murky.

The human army stands with three battalions, the front, middle and last line. They're added with each two other battalions at the sides, wing positions combined with archers. General Doyoung leads the frontline while Youngho leads his army which placed further back in the wings, to move forward and close the battle ground when the enemies have rushed in the middle, creating entrapment. For now, they wait for a signal from Heechul.

It was when the sun has long gone and the full moon at her peak did Jaehyun saw the torch surrounding the army burns brighter, the sky darkens with rolling clouds and pulsating thunder. It was time. Although there's still nothing before them, they know those creatures are already there, the torches was Heechul's sign. The well versed generals lifts their arms and motioned for their army to ready themselves, waiting for the first incoming.

Jaehyun remembers what the gumiho had said the day before yesterday, ' _they won't start with physical attack at first, but Taeyong will suppress them to the point they could no longer use their magic, and it'll lead to a frontal, physical attack after that. Remember not to panic if some of your army falls out of nothing, move forward with the army from the back, because after that it'll be about strength and even with Taeyong's power, they'll still be stronger than humans. Keep moving forward_.'

  
As they have predicted, suddenly the few rows of the army at the front, fallen down out of the blue, hands either gripping at their chest or head, faces becoming blue. Doyoung, who stands in the middle of his soldiers, raises his sword and loudly commands, "forward!"

The sky is still dark, but the clouds with thunders dissipates, the only signs Jaehyun could decipher as Taeyong doing his part to suppress their power. He too, rises his silver sword, "incoming!"

Rows at the current front take cover with their shields up and right away there are pelting stone of fires and big bodied monsters ransacked upon them, trying to disperse their line of defense. The loud yells and shouts are ear piercing, but the human army stay steady with their shields up with the help of Taeyong boosting their strength. From behind Jaehyun, a general shouted his command, "archer!"

Like a black rain did arrows flying above their heads and fall into enemies, heightens the noises of war and adrenaline out of instinct. Jaehyun along with many other good archers and thicker arrows, aims for the big creatures, continually firing until they gradually stepping back or fall down. Heechul once said, ' _they'll try to scatter you and it'll be easier to finish you then, avoid that by making use of shields and arrows, no matter what. But always be ready for the second attack because they'll up their game. Your biggest strength won't only be in numbers, but also the fact that they think they're superior than you and that they never work in a group with adequate training and practice. Meaning, they'll mostly fight individually rather than in teamwork despite they're attacking together in a group.'_

The next big creatures which come crashing onto them was the wolves, strong and ferocious with sharp claws and teeth did they come tearing the rows of soldiers. Many screaming heard, Jaehyun couldn't really mind how terrifying does it sounds since the wolves are of different threat than the previous big monster, with stronger force and faster speed. He witnesses the soldiers fallen one by one, so quickly like vulnerable, insignificant ants.

He braves his heart, because even ants hold undefeated strength with numbers and good strategy, his soldiers still overwhelms the enemies by numbers. They could do this. Behind the wolves, there are many others coming in even closer, some are odd looking humanoids and some so similar to humans only they seem a lot paler with long fangs. He noticed that some have very high speed and equal strength to humans, some with normal speed but high strength and some are both although not as fast or strong.

Jaehyun need to be clever, he couldn't move to the frontline but he could keep at offense with his arrows, some selected soldiers make sure his arrows replenished. But they'll inevitably run out, by time, it'll be empty, they couldn't let this war run for too long. It's strange, if the enemies really did split up to take out both him and Taeyong, their strength shouldn't be this high. Did they miscalculate?

  
"They didn't split up their forces," Taeyong said in trepidation, "they may have more power but we have more numbers, we started out balanced in the scale. We go by defense because they have more winning chances by going offensively, and they're fighting with time, the longer this war goes on, the more at disadvantage they are. Going by that logic, they should've come for both heads at the same time and yet, they're focusing their offense in that battleground? Why?"

"Something must make them confident that they could take both of you one by one, but what is it?" Heechul said in thoughts, jittery from sensing the massive colliding power down there, with the humans at the losing side, "it's not looking good down there, Taeyong. I think it's better if I go there to help. But you'll be without a cover, what do you think?"

"If they went for us one by one, I think I can handle here by myself. Please keep Jaehyun safe, Heechul," he pleads while squeezing the gumiho's shoulder.

"I will, keep your eyes open, they must have something we don't know yet," Heechul squeezes back the hand on him, smiling to reassure, "you too, stay safe."

Taeyong watches the gumiho dash away, going as fast as he could to the battle ground. He stay there in his position with unbroken concentration to suppress the dark lurkers power all the while enhancing the human's strength. If this goes on like this for longer, more damage will be done on their army too, with a higher possibility of him losing Jaehyun. Taeyong shook the thoughts away, rid himself from fear because he couldn't afford to lose focus on his task at hand. He doesn't want to nor could he bear losing Jaehyun. Never.

Perhaps he was too focused on his task, that he didn't sense the small wave of power creeping in from behind him. He got caught in shock when suddenly, pain flaring within him and big claws dug deep in his chest, tearing one of his lung and blood gushing so quickly to drown his breathing. He screams, gurgling blood in his throat and concentration broken as he tries to escape and protect himself. There, standing a humanoid wolf on his hind legs and a long snout full of big, sharp teeth grinning at him terrifyingly with red glowing eyes.

"Gotcha."

Immediately Taeyong focusing his nullifying power over the werewolf, but the tiny seconds which he was wincing due to the exploding pain, got him knocked away to the ground, successfully causing his right shoulder to dislocate from the force of his fall. He couldn't even scream from the intensity of the pain, along with his own blood which filling in his collapse right lung and about to drown the one on the left.

"Omega, huh?" The werewolf sings song mockingly, body language degrading Taeyong from where he's standing tall before him, hands on his waist with lecherous eyes towards him, "look at how pitiful you are, omega. You lot should just sit and wait to be fucked because that's all you're good for, huh omega? Look at you now, nothing about you pretty anymore, just filthy with blood and dirt. You think you worth something for being a chosen one? And look, you're pregnant? Shit, you're so desperate to be something huh? If only you just be what you are, I would fuck you myself."

More than the pain and more than the shame he feels from being degraded like that as if omega was only meat to use, Taeyong feel his hatred and anger boiling up to the point he could barely feel the pain for a short moment. Driven, he launched forward and forced his dislocated shoulder to straighten up, screaming in a war cry to catch the werewolf's leg from his lay in his own blood shed. There was a moment of surprise in that other man's eyes, but ego is Taeyong's ally then for the werewolf still underestimating him. Before he could do anything, Taeyong swung his other arm and penetrate the werewolf's stomach with it, stabbing right in his heart from under the ribcage with his long, sharp claws.

"Nobody wants to fuck arrogant trash like you," he hissed, overlapping with the werewolf's loud howling and he's not yet done, making it worse by nullifying the creature's healing ability, quickly killing him.

When the big fury body fall to the ground, jerking on his way to death, Taeyong know he was lucky that the werewolf was an arrogant bastard. Or else, he would be the one dying there on the ground. He turned his body to better accommodate his breathing with a collapsed lung, screaming and crying as he try to boost his healing ability to tenfold. Still, his artery was damaged and it becomes a chasing game with his healing ability, his time is very limited. He doesn't want to die, he still have to warn Jaehyun and Heechul, but mostly he thinks about his babies. Oh, his children.

"Hang in there my babies, please hang in there," he cried, fixing his dislocated shoulder with a loud howl before he force himself to start walking, "I won't die, we won't die... like this. We won't."

But before he managed to walk more than four steps, another two dark lurkers already found him again, frustration and anger are Taeyong's strongest ally to keep his will to stay alive then, "you fuckers, how many more of you coming after me huh?"

One of the two was a woman, and Taeyong didn't miss the look of uncertainty in her eyes when they saw his big stomach. It appears that they didn't know about his pregnancy at all, but if it will make them hesitant to finish him off, then Taeyong will use it to the fullest, "you don't want to do this, there's a better way for our conclusion."

"Like hell there are!" The man shouted as he's launching towards Taeyong, although the woman stays rigid on her stood. "Humans will always try to hunt and wipe us out! No mercy for them! Anyone on their side should die together with them!"

"They made my foster family suffer too! And your kind, my own kind killed my parents!" Taeyong screamed as best as he can with a damaged lung, breath thinning with impaired vision when he keep moving to evade the attacks, "both humans and your kind are evil, what difference did they make? Nothing!"

"Then why are you on their side?!" The man screamed back, long fangs and pale face easy to see under the full moon.

"I'm on my own side," he coughed with blood dripping to the ground.

"Stop, stop she's pregnant," the woman who's as pale as the man, said, trying to hold the other back from attacking Taeyong.

"Then more of them trying to kill us!"

"We only want to protect ourselves, like you did, we are all scared! We can stop this!" Taeyong shouted, managing to rush forward and caught the two creature's hands, "we can stop this useless war."

The man tries to let go of Taeyong's hold, but his power is diminishing rapidly from the touch, he couldn't escape the grip. When Taeyong try to speak again, the man doesn't want to listen and raises his other hand to attack in a close range to kill Taeyong.

A long scream heard.

  
Something feels strange, something is off because the sky is rolling with clouds and thunder again, many of his soldiers dropping without cause with brushing skin. As if the dark lurkers could use their magic again, but that can't be it, because if it's so then that means Taeyong is...

"I can't sense Taeyong's power."

He turned around to look at Heechul who's floating beside him with raised arms, keeping his fire burning as protection to the army, "what do you mean?"

"Their power is back, I can sense their power like it was at the start before Taeyong suppress it, and now I can't sense Taeyong's," the gumiho said with a very low voice and trembling eyes, "it's as if-"

"We don't know yet!" Jaehyun shouted in denial, blood rushing with dread and denied, looming grief, "it could be one of his strategies, you know how clever he could be, maybe he did this without telling us."

"What advantage will it give us? Letting them have their full power and possibly destroy us? He's clever, he knows that we have no chance without his help."

"No..." his grip loosened around the sword, almost falling down as horror creeping up under his skin, "there must be a reason for- for him to do this," he choked out.

Heechul, sensing the human about to lose his mind, thinking over possibilities he could work out, "listen Jaehyun, you're right, we don't know yet, we don't know what's really happening. Just keep your head up and don't do anything rash, just focus on your task here-"

But Jaehyun is too keen at reading Heechul's expression, even without his ability, he knows something is terribly wrong when the gumiho try to persuade him like that. Even in denial, he sees images of Taeyong's death in his head, he feels the grief and terror of losing him, the love of his life, his soulmate. He died, leaving him alone with no reason to keep living.

"...no."

"Jaehyun, listen," Heechul urged with rising fear, bullets of sweat drenching his skin and seeping into his clothes, "no matter what, Taeyong wants you safe, so don't do anything rash. Don't-"

He no longer was listening, gripping his sword again and tighter with a piercing cry, slipping away from Heechul's hold and rushing into the heart of the war, crashing and slashing without care for his heart dies with the Taeyong in his mind, already lifeless and cold with empty eyes. Without those pretty smiles, beautiful glistening eyes and wits which drives him crazy, what's left of Jaehyun? Nothing, without Taeyong, he's nothing. Without the man who brought joy, love and trust into his life, Jaehyun have nothing left. Screw these people, fuck them, to hell all of them. Why must he care?

"Jaehyun!"

  
His body feels torn, as if they don't belong to him and the way his head been pounding without mercy almost makes him want to surrender. Alas, he's alone, with only his babies within him, but no one else and he need to think quick, because he could sense it things getting worse. He heaved another deep breath and it was a wrong move because his lungs coughing up more blood to splatter, and it's seems to be mere minutes until he's drowning in his own blood aside that he's currently experiencing massive blood lost.

The creatures had left him there, he was persuasive enough to stop them from killing him, but not good enough to have them help him. The woman took pity on him, perhaps. It was an emotion he despised before and yet, now he was saved because of it, pity. They said it's up to fate now if he is going to survive and end the war or not, they wouldn't have a hand in it, so be it. Taeyong can walk and fight alone.

The problem is that he stopped suppressing the enemies' power to concentrate on his healing power, but doing so may rouse suspicion that they got him and killed him. He didn't know what would Jaehyun do with that idea, it won't be good and that's why Taeyong have to go to the battleground fast. With his condition though, it's hard to even walk, the other reasonable thing to do was to continue suppressing the enemies' power to let them know that he's still alive. But doing so just make him like a beacon to fireflies and more will come to kill him. Whether to continue his task or not hold consequences he's not sure which is the best to do.

He's coughing more blood, chest hurting really strongly and something is terribly wrong he realizes. His healing ability is barely working, for some reason, his senses also starting to become dull. Belatedly, he noticed the rain which pouring on him, drenching him and slippery under his feet, sending him falling the next step he took. He tries hard to breathe which only making it worse, blood filling his lungs and every breath he took only choking him even more. With dread, he knows that the rain over him isn't just any rain, it's numbing him and his power, stalling his ability to heal and killing him softly.

The gumiho never said about someone having the same ability as one of his children, it's alarming and dangerous. The longer he stays, the more possible it is for him to die there, he must keep moving, however it is. Harrowing fingers dragging his body forward, crawling on his chafed front and torn flesh, intensifying the pain and decreasing his already strained breathing. He could already see the ants like shadows creeping in his vision.

So he can only pray he's fast enough with his pregnant and damaged body to get to where Jaehyun is.

By the time he got to the battleground, he witnesses a massacre, so many died on both sides but especially the humans. Their numbers are even now, but the humans are depleting fast with the way that they're much vulnerable now against the dark lurkers with full power. Taeyong's heart is grieving at the lives which lost, things shouldn't have gone this way if only they communicate, but hatred and revenge turn them deaf and blind, feeding on it and rotting them inside.

He couldn't waste more time than he already has, if only he could run, if only he could do something. But as it is now, his condition worsens from forcing his body to withstand the journey down there, Taeyong could feel it starting to shut down from the way he could barely feel and see anything. Before he loses his vision for good, he sees Jaehyun running rampant with his silver sword glinting with intimidation and a strong bow hanging on one his arm. He does not see the man that he loves, he does not see the Jaehyun he knows nor the compassionate king, gone was the man since his eyes burning only with rage and hatred. This, is what war caused them to be, even the strongest love gets corrupted and Taeyong hates it. Not for Jaehyun, nor for anyone, there should always be another way. Then, it was darkness and he couldn't even feel if he's still breathing.

At the last moment, Jaehyun saw a glimpse of Taeyong, lying unconscious on the ground, view obscured by the many battling around them. But he has seen enough, he saw the blood, how torn apart Taeyong looked, how lifeless he is. His body froze, shock and disbelief washes over him, it's hard to understand what's really happening. Is Taeyong alive? Is he-? _No_ , there's a loud voice screaming inside his head, no Taeyong can't be. That's his love there, on the ground, the only person he had come to love like no one else, the only who could see the true him, the one who carries his children, their children.

"Jaehyun-" vaguely he heard a voice similar to Heechul calls for him, but Jaehyun didn't care, not when Taeyong is there, far and slipping away from him. No.

Suddenly, there's a loud ringing spreading the whole land, forcing everyone to stop and cover their ears from how much it's hurting deep into their brains. Then they all fall to the ground, helpless and terrified since they couldn't move at all with some died due to blood vessels bursting inside, Heechul was no exception. The gumiho couldn't understand what's really happening, the pain in his head is too much, but more than that his body feels like he's been crushed to the ground with a very heavy presence in the air, so thick yet not seen by the eyes.

Heechul sees the way Jaehyun looking at Taeyong's body with wide, hollow eyes, so dark with echoing fear and rage like nothing else he ever witness. It feels so much like when Taeyong suppressed their magical power and energy, only much stronger and imposing. If Taeyong suppressed their power from inside their core, this one more like something from the outside, like magic. He had an assumption about the king after he witnessed the man's fast healing, but this, this is more than he could have expected.

"Jaehyun, you're not really human are you...?" He whispered to himself.

There's so much pain, so much anger, so much fear and so many more emotions Jaehyun couldn't understand wreaking havoc within him. He sees but he does not see, he feels but he does not feel anything, he hears nothing. There's too much of everything and nothing at the same time. He didn't even know who he is, where he is or who's the one in his arms, cold and heavy. All he knows, that he feels indescribable and uncontrollable rage. He screams, loud and piercing, hurting everyone who are present there with the pain in their skull seemingly about to explode. Then his body glows in a white bluish light, pulsating under the dirty clouds and cocoon not only him but also Taeyong's body.

The gumiho watch in silent awe, how slowly Taeyong's injuries closing up and healing perfectly leaving not even scars on his skin, colors blooming again. Not long Taeyong start to jolt, then coughing strongly, blood rushing out of his mouth but he's breathing again, chest heaving deeply to regain consciousness. When he's blinking away, the light dissipating until it's gone and Jaehyun softly fall beside him. Taeyong was disoriented at first, not knowing where he was or what happened, the first he sees when he open his eyes was Heechul staring at him from his lay.

"Heechul...?" He mumbled in confusion, feeling weak despite his body no longer hurting nor was it feels stiff. His confusion only grows when he sees the fallen bodies surrounding him, "what happened...?"

"I think... He have imitating magic, Taeyong. He was using a magic which imitates yours, but his rage... made it possible for it to be so strong even I couldn't move at all," the gumiho said not with as much difficulty like a moment ago before Jaehyun collapsed.

"... who?"

"Jaehyun, he's not exactly human," Heechul coughed from forcing himself to speak, but he could feel the way the magic over him is starting to fade. "But he couldn't imitate healing ability, that's why he used magic to transfer injuries instead... He- Taeyong, you need to go, the magic which holding us down is starting to disappear, you must go now that they know what he's capable of. They'll target him first now, you must go."

Injuries? Taeyong realized, that he was injured very badly, yet now, there's none of it on his body. Dread fills him first before he truly understand what Heechul told him, "where... Where is he?"

"Behind you..." The gumiho tries to get up, yet it's still hard to do, but it's not the same for some who are further away and beginning to rise and shouting. "Run Taeyong!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill them!"

"Kill the king first, he's dangerous!"

Taeyong didn't run, he turned around to see Jaehyun unconscious with injuries which once was his, "Jaehyun! Jaehyun, no! Not again, please!" He screamed with tears brimming in his eyes, holding the man's face trying to wake him, "don't close your eyes, no, stay with me! Stay with me now!"

It seems the king hasn't lost all his awareness because Jaehyun whispered, "Taeyong..." so softly yet he could hear it even amidst the shouts. There's a smile of relief on the thin lips, "You're alive..."

"I told you I'll come back to you, I promised you," explosion not far from where they are and Taeyong thinks he could hear Heechul screaming something to him, he didn't care, he couldn't mind anything, not when his love is dying in his arms, not even the scorching heat creeping up his behind. "I promised you and I came back, so keep your promise too, Jaehyun! Keep it! Stay with me!"

The king still smiling, his hands trembled yet not strong enough to lift them to touch Taeyong, "I know you're there... But somehow I can't see you, why I can't see you? I can feel you around me, but... why am I slowly not hearing anything? Why... my body feels numb?"

The blood, Taeyong could feel it gushing out like a river down to his lap and the damp soil underneath them, so much blood did Jaehyun lost rapidly that he's slipping away to death. Even Taeyong had a hard time with it, what's more with a vulnerable human like Jaehyun whose life is so fleeting compared to him? The feels in his hands against Jaehyun's back is enough to tell that the body was almost ripped apart into two, the peculiar feel of something bumpy and hard over his fingers is terrifying Taeyong because it wasn't the flesh he's touching. No matter how hard he cries, it seems salvation will not come to him this time.

"Are you still there... Taeyong? I can't hear anything... I don't feel anything..." Jaehyun whispered and his eyes wet, tears about to fall. Taeyong took his hand and hold it so preciously, so desperately, kissing it despite the blood, "am I...? I want to see your face... for the last time..."

"Don't you dare say it's for the last time, don't you dare!" He sobbed, gripping the hand tighter over his chest, holding on the shaking body to deny the leaving of his love. ' _Let me heal him_ ,' Heechul said from somewhere, but all Taeyong could care about was the feeling of Jaehyun convulsing in his arms.

"Jaehyun? Jaehyun! No don't you-" he cried harder when the body becomes so rigid, before suddenly it stop and the hand in his hold becoming heavier and heavier until, it falls. It feels like the world stops, everything around him becoming dull, silent and shapeless with darkness. It feels like no light will ever reach him again, of life no more and anything which has kept him alive, disappears into nothing. Hollow, empty, cold and so dark.

But after the numbing grief, comes in turbulent waves was anger and aimless sorrow, the noises which flying out his mouth was indescribable. Pain. Pain. Pain. Anger. He didn't care, he didn't care at all, until amidst the persistent darkness, he feels a warmth on his shoulder. Then he sees Heechul, looking to him, talking to him.

"Stop that Taeyong, at least don't stop me from trying to heal him."

He blinks, numb, so numb, he didn't understand what the gumiho was saying. But he sees the surrounding, finding all of them are looking at him, some already standing yet not getting closer, strange looks on their faces until Taeyong slowly realizing that he had nullified their powers completely out of the storming anguish within him. They're all ragged, torn, bleeding, exhausted and more. They are all hurting.

Why must it be like this?

"Is this what you want?" He said, voice trembling but it carries everything that is storming within him, "is this what you want, killing each other? What brought you here? What made you fight? Was it because your family was killed? Hurt? Hunted? Then what becomes of your children? Wouldn't they do the same too? So when will this end? Is this what you want?" Nobody says anything, "because they're bad? Because some people couldn't agree with you?"

"They killed us!"

"The hunts us when all we did was hiding!"

"They forced us to live like worthless beings!"

"Kill them all!"

Shouts and screams filled the land again even though no one could move, and Taeyong is so tired, far too exhausted to feel anything at all, "my own kind killed my parents, because they were afraid of the future. The humans, killed some of you because they were afraid of those unknown and feed off of them. Humans made me suffer and hurt me because they were afraid. So what are we? Are we all afraid for ourselves? What was wrong? Why those fears exist? Because we just want to live?

"My own kind, the human kind, they've all hurt me and terrified me, but who's really to blame? What's to blame?" He rises from the ground, letting Heechul to cradle Jaehyun's cold, lifeless body instead, eyes searching in the crowds, "if I were to blame, I'll hate everyone and I did, I used to hate everyone. But if I really think about it, there are people whom I love, I care about and they're not just my kind or the humans. There are humans who took care of me and raised me like their own despite knowing I was nothing like them, isn't that compassion? And they're some of your kind, my kind, who gave me mercy and kind to me despite the circumstances. So what defines us? Is it what we are? Or who we are?"

"We don't care, Fuck humans!"

"Are we to forgive what they've done to us?!"

"Then what about you?!" Taeyong shouted in frustration, "didn't you feed on them? Didn't you kill them too? Tortured them? So weren't they doing exactly what you've done to them? In the end, you're all the same! No matter what kind you are, you hurt, you kill, you take! Because of what? Because you want to live, you exist, you want to save yourself. We are all! So why can't we just talk? Why can't we discuss what's best for us, together? Not everyone is bad, your kind or their kind. And not everyone is good and kind, whatever you are, so what's the difference? Because you didn't know better, because you don't want to try to understand. So why can't we start now? Stop this useless war and killing each other, in this way no matter how hard you try to resolve it, this will happen again, over and over and there will be many more deaths. Is that what you want?!"

Silence filling the air, everyone waiting with bated breaths until disagreeing shouts heard again coming from the same few, "we're supposed to care? They killed my family! We want revenge! All humans should die and that's what we want!"

"Silence," suddenly a man emerges from the crowd, wearing a white robe which been torn, and sullied with dirt and blood. There's dignity radiating from him, standing tall and strong in his steps coming closer to Taeyong.

From the appearance alone and his body language, Taeyong could guess who the man was, "Are you their leader?"

"To some, yes, and I'm one of the elders, with it I hold the rights and the power to speak for them. I'm called Leeteuk," the man said when he's standing right before Taeyong.

"And what say you?"

The man looks around, seeing the faces and recognize many of them, what they hold in their eyes before he look at him again, "is it peace, that you want?"

Taeyong feels his heart trembling, unsure whether it was hope or something else as he heard the words said, "it is what we all need."

"And what proof do you have that the humans wouldn't hurt us if we decide to pull back and not bother them anymore?"

What proof? He didn't think he had anything good enough as proof, but when he took a glance at the humans he was starting to know, Youngho, Doyoung, then his eyes fall down to the body in Heechul's hold, Jaehyun. They are the proofs that humans can be good enough, to believe in peace, to believe in them.

And so, he said without a hint of uncertainty, "I am."

The man called Leeteuk gives him a look, not nearly convinced, and Taeyong continues, "I've been on both sides, the humans, and my own kind, I know better than any of you. And I'm still standing here talking with you even though I could've killed all of you easily when you've hurt my loved ones without mercy, is that not proof enough?"

Hatred and revenge have never been the answer, although his entire being wanted to kill all of them human or dark lurkers alike without caring, he remembers Jaehyun. Who had taught him love, kindness and compassion, Taeyong couldn't betray it, betray what he had with the man he loves, betray what they had. Jaehyun wouldn't want that, and so he wouldn't do that.

The man in front of him appears to be thinking, calculating the odds, then he said, "we need more than that, more than words. I could see your determination and I could try to trust you with it, but we need more to really believe in risking on our well being, don't we?"

"Marriage," someone suddenly said and it was Heechul, they're all turning to look at the gumiho who's still holding the king in his arms, "there's no stronger union than marriage, is there? Marriage between the two kinds, if you say you can trust Taeyong, then you can trust in their marriage. The human isn't exactly one, that should be enough for you to think that he's not entirely in the human's favor, and with Taeyong, there will be more to promise."

Taeyong is bewildered, staring to Heechul with questions but the gumiho only shrugged without taking back his words. When he looks up again to see Leeteuk, the man is smiling with an odd look.

"That was rather unexpected, but I can see the appeal. But I'm not going to agree with mere words, not even from you, Heechul."

"Nice to see you again Leeteuk, it's been far too long hasn't it?"

"You left the clan, your words held almost nothing to us, you're a traitor in our eyes," the man said, firmly.

"The clan chased me out, just because I helped a human boy, I think it's not me who needs to be questioned here, my principles stand right no matter who or what I saved. I don't care about the clan, but I don't really like it that I couldn't see you."

Leeteuk make a face of disagreement, "you could have sought for me and I wouldn't turn you away."

"Maybe you won't," Heechul scoffed, "but the many around you who like to play bodyguard won't do the same. Now, speak of your terms."

"Our terms, that is for the king to make it known what you are and what we are, let the human know that we exist and for them to know that their queen, is one of us. And for those who knew and hunts us, to stop and put all of us into your protection, as we would put all of you into our protection in turn."

Taeyong couldn't believe his ears, "queen? I couldn't be-"

"I know, some of us did, because we could smell you. But the humans did not, with you carrying his child, I suppose it is possible," the man said regarding Taeyong's true gender. He moves his arm to the crowd, "anyone disagreeing with my decision, leave, for my protection extending to these people now."

After moments passed, some creatures leaving not without speaking out their dissatisfaction loudly, cursing and promising for the worst on them. But Leeteuk stays unbothered, still smiling to Taeyong and nodding to the many which stayed. Then, some of them gathering close to Taeyong, nodding with small smiles and goes to Jaehyun.

"What are you doing?" He asked warily.

"You have our protection now, as we have your protection. That man is still alive although barely, but together we can bring him back," Leeteuk said.

"He's... alive?" Taeyong whispered in disbelief, eyes never leaving Jaehyun as the few start healing the dying man.

"I know you speak the truth when you thought he died, despite it, you want peace. There's no greater proof than that," Leeteuk lift a hand to his mouth, light glowing from inside then a bead floating out to suspend above his palm, "and let this be our proof that we value our agreements."

"What is that...?" Taeyong asked with uncertainty when the man opens Jaehyun's mouth and putting the glowing bead inside.

"That's a gumiho bead, where we store all our power, without it we are nothing. It has a great healing ability, but to do it like this by keeping it inside Jaehyun, that's the utmost show of trust we gumiho could have done. I mean, even I didn't do it," Heechul explained.

Taeyong watches over Jaehyun warily, can only breathe in relief when he sees colors returning on the king's skin, wounds starting to heal and disappearing. Leeteuk keep his eyes closed, but there's a small smile on his lips, "with this truce, you can come back home, don't you, Heechul?"

"I don't care about going back, I like to be by myself, I just want to be able to see you whenever I feel like it," Heechul snorted.

"Still the same as ever even after a century, aren't you."

Taeyong's sight is blurry due to the brimming tears and relief washing over him, heart finally finds ease and soothed to his soul. With Jaehyun's love, he made it, he didn't only save both of them, he saved many with the love Jaehyun taught him. He didn't care nor stop the tears which spilling out as he took the man's hands and shake it, "thank you."

Jaehyun and Taeyong was told by the prophecy to either ruin or rise, and everything which has been leading up to this moment seems to direct them into destruction. But the choices they made are their own, because in the end of it all, they make their own fate.

Peace was their choice, and it saved everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's The end~ the next will be epilogue~


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That's good. Hopefully things will only get better from now on."
> 
> "We all hope so."

The sky is blue, so much blue with dark and red, yellowish leaves as trees and bushes singing autumn. The air is quite warm that day with occasional chirping by the birds and wind carries music from places enjoying the day, thin white smokes rolling up from warm houses and the people breathing conversations and laughter. Children running about and adults goes by their day without worries, maybe this is what peace brings in people, as certain people witness their surrounding.

"This weather makes me lazy," the person yawned, sharp fangs on display without care even though in plain sight with humans sitting in the same tea shop, some looking at them curiously and some warily, "and sleepy."

"Aren't you always sleepy, Heechul?" Leeteuk chuckled as he about to take another sip from his warm tea.

"Why you chose this place to meet up, anyway? These people might already get used to see us, but don't you think they still see us like some circus?" Heechul scoffed, "they really need to stop that, it's not like we're so different with them."

"Their sense of racism exists even amongst them, what's more with us? But it's better than being hunted down and killed just because we're different. I'm hopeful we can have better future where we can coexist together without discrimination and hatred, socializing is important to educate and repetition to instill it..."

"Your positivity really is a breath of fresh air, that future better happen because in the end we all living creatures, we should stand equally, both sides should respect each other," Heechul hmph-ed, lying down to better see the sky. Turning his head to see the head of gumiho clan sipping tea peacefully with straight back, as if he's posing, "you just love the attention, didn't you?"

Leeteuk coughed a bit for the tea goes down the wrong pipe at the statement, "I am not."

That makes Heechul howler a laugh, "you definitely did, oh dear, you're such an attention seeker."

"I am not," Leeteuk hissed, but his ears rather red from embarrassment, "also, why are you displaying your fox ears, Heechul?"

The aforementioned ears flutters, Heechul grinned, "Why not give them a show if they're already watching us like a circus? I never said I didn't like the attention, unless if they're malicious."

"You're a show off," Leeteuk huffed, then he perks up, "oh here they come."

"Who-" his words cut off because he feel a sharp pain from his ears being pulled strongly, "ouch! Ow, what the- who did that?!" He yelled and sitting up in anger, only to soften when he sees the culprits, tiny kids more precisely, "whose brats are you?"

The twins, a boy and a girl, laughs loudly and tackle him together with glee, ringing cheery in the beautiful air. Then fall a bigger shadow over Heechul who's now lying on the tatami with an armful of excited kids, "they're my children, nasty gumiho."

"Oh Taeyong! Should've known these mischievous brats are yours."

"They're not brats, I'll have you know the ones in your arms are the crown Prince and a princess," Taeyong huffed, sitting down to join at their table and greets Leeteuk with a smile.

"Still brats to me," he snorted, making noises when the twins jumping and snuggling him with too much excitement. Dramatically and jokingly he yelped, "ow my stomach! You kneed it!"

"Jisungie-ah, Eunjie-ah," Taeyong calls gently, and immediately the twins stop teasing Heechul and come rushing to sit on each side of Taeyong's, a hand over their mouths to hide their giggles.

"Oh, they listen well, better than you."

"Please, hush, don't talk nonsense with my children around," he roll his eyes, a tint of red on his cheeks.

"What's nonsense about it? Unless you're thinking of different things," Heechul snickers, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Heechul, no!" He sputtered, "not in front of children."

"They don't understand anyway."

"Alright stop," Leeteuk intervened, also feeling embarrassed on Taeyong's behalf, "having a walk, Taeyong-shi?"

"Yes, I took the chance to visit my place before meeting you all," he smiled, motioning the shop owner to order and ask his twins, "do you want some snacks sweetie?"

"Like uncle Leeteuk's!" The both of them yelled, giggling with glee because they said it together.

"Oh my, they're so cute," Leeteuk put a hand on his chest out of fondness, big smile on his face.

"They're only two years old right? They look like they're four years old, though," Heechul chimed in, moving about his tail and pleasantly getting excited responses from the twins who's trying to chase after it.

"They grow up so fast, oh my god! I almost lose my mind with how fast it is," he bemoaned, "thankfully, being who I am now means I got hands helping me with them. Although that doesn't mean I don't get the distaste from people who don't like us, but Jaehyun listen to me anyway, so they're away from my life now."

"There are people like that, huh, it's not like we did anything to them and yet, they just want to hate us, almost make me want them punished with death for being so hateful without reason," Heechul whined.

"We both hurt each other in past, human and us, that's true. But we should leave it in the past now that we have the chance to be better together and coexist, killing them would only harm that chance. And it's not like only humans who's trying to deal with their fear and hatred, us too, our creatures even put effort to stop ' _consuming_ ' humans, so humans should also put effort in welcoming us," Leeteuk added.

"I heard that the creatures who needs to consume human are now having an agreement with consenting humans now? How's that work?" Taeyong asked just in time with their teas and snacks to arrive at the table and the twins immediately eating them, getting distracted from listening to the adult conversation which they don't even understand.

"We told Jaehyun that it's essential for some of us to consume humans, so he implemented it could only happen between two or more consenting parties. It's almost like a matchmaking between humans and the dark lurkers, which is compatible and which humans willing to help, giving blood or their life energy. Of course with written rules to benefit both involving parties, it's forbidden to take too much to the point of compromising the human's life, so overall it's a pretty good arrangement. Then again, there's always those people who didn't abide by laws and rules, so we need more helping hands to reinforce unwanted accidents to keep it safe," Leeteuk explained.

"I suggested that these events happen not without another party who would make sure that the consuming won't go against the rules. But it had to be dark lurkers to be the third party to keep it safe, because human couldn't possibly do much when these dark lurkers experiencing blood lust or decided to do harm, right?" Heechul added.

"That does sound valid, it'll bring more safety on the humans and also possibly bigger chance of them willing to help," Taeyong agreed.

"For us, it does, since we make sure these third parties would be trusted dark lurkers who will withhold dignity and respect the agreed rules. But that's not how the humans would see it, as far as it goes, we're all the same to them, aren't we? That's why we're still trying to find a solution to this," Leeteuk sighed, "well, it's not without reasons that they fear us."

The twins still munching the colorful tiny cakes happily, Taeyong staring at Leeteuk and Heechul, until suddenly he got an idea, "make a gathering."

"What?" Heechul asked.

"In the palace, the people there are scared of me at first, except the ones who know me before hand. But they slowly understand and accept me after meeting few times more, people need time to understand and feel secure enough to do without prejudice. So make a gathering with all involving parties, let them meet a few times before they're given the chance to agree to the arrangement, I think that will work."

Both Leeteuk and Heechul blinked, thinking until the older of the two said, "that's brilliant, how didn't we think of that?"

"I know, I'm smart," Taeyong said smugly with a grin.

"As much as I'm surprised that you have enough brain capacity, I want to slap you now," Heechul rolled his eyes.

"Rude!" Taeyong said together with the twins, causing them all to laugh.

"It seems the twins have more manners than you, Heechul," Leeteuk laughed.

"Unbelievable."

"I'll put in your opinion in the next meeting with Jaehyun, Taeyong, thank you," the older gumiho said.

"I'm glad I could help."

There's silence for a moment, for each of them took a sip of their tea, fingers picking on the desserts, a certain question hanging. Until finally Leeteuk decided to say it, "about what was asked of me, Taeyong, to be honest it was for my own curiosity too, to know what Jaehyun really is. Even Heechul thought he was a pure human, that was why he marked him to make it easier for the two of you to encounter and bond. But it seems, the mark Heechul placed upon him awakening his ancestor blood and activated it, although it was only to it's fullest in the time of war or extreme situations. I've been trying to seek answer and threaded his family line carefully, and found out his great great grandmother was a witch, a powerful one, but to think it would still residing in him after being diluted with humans blood for some generations? I am more than impressed, perhaps Heechul's mark helped it to tune in and get stronger. Which means, your children will inherit it too, mixed with your own pure blood werewolf line."

Taeyong stays quiet, unsure what that means for his children. It does answer why his children are so strong and special, when he was just a werewolf. It was Jaehyun's blood. He thought it over, as a werewolf he has strong physic and fast healing, while Jaehyun's blood carries strong magic. If, his children have all those, they'll be strong and powerful beyond belief. But wouldn't that put them in danger? What if there's another prophecy about his children and that will endanger all of them? His family? Is Taeyong ready to protect them and go through all those pain again?

"Taeyong."

He gasped out the dark turmoils inside his mind, looking to Leeteuk and Heechul in anxiety. Then, there are two hands holding his, warm and firm, accompanying. Heechul is smiling to him so gently, "you're not alone Taeyong, you have many people with you now and we will keep each other safe, don't worry."

"Knowing you, i know you'll raise your children lovingly and they'll grow into wonderful people who are benevolent to others. Do not worry and ease your fear, Taeyong, we will be with you in every step of the way," Leeteuk said softly with his most calming voice.

He stares at their eyes, finding no lies in them and only warmth and understanding. Slowly Taeyong calming down, noticing the little hands on his thighs and his beautiful twins looking up to him, trying to imitate their uncles. That makes him chuckle, he squeezed the hands in his hold before he lets go to embrace his twins tightly. He's happy, so happy, and he will do anything to keep his family together, to keep this happiness intact, "thank you."

"I love you!" Jisung said to him with a grin.

"I love you too!" Eunji squeaked out with giggles as she round her arms over Taeyong's head.

"By the way," Heechul starts, to lighten up the mood, "being who you are now, can you have a walk freely like this? I thought the palace was rather strict."

"Ah, the people don't know how I look like anyway, and I'm wearing ordinary male gown when I'm out so it's okay, the twins too. Besides, it's an agreement between me and Jaehyun that I'm allowed out whenever I want to visit my family."

"He really can't go against you, huh?" Heechul snickers, "whipped."

"And how's your family? Are they fine?" Leeteuk asked.

"They're fine, thank you for asking. I had told them that they don't need to continue working if they want, but they rather do it than not at all, although Jaehyun make sure they wouldn't be subjected to unwanted requests by the patrons. So yeah, they're doing really good."

"That's good. Hopefully things will only get better from now on."

"We all hope so," Taeyong smiled, caressing his twins' head who's looking to him in return with mirroring smiles.

It's good.

After the war, the dark lurkers go back into their hiding, the only difference is that this time everybody knows they are real, they exist. The people are terrified, after witnessing what these creatures are capable of, but when the palace informed them of the union, most are assured and minority was split into disagreement and disgust. With time, the kingdom start to rebuild the capital again, people running about to fix their homes, facilities and social construct. Like an old forest which could no longer breathe and grow, fire brings new life and growth, just the same with people who stand together and learn to be with peace after the grief. The palace becomes busy and bustling, every single person have with them their own tasks to do.

The king was getting better in his private palace, recuperating his scars from the war and although some people didn't quite agree with how things came to be, they rejoiced for their king is alive. By the time the king comes back to his duties and fully healed, came the news of the former sickly king's death, to which the current king placed the queen mother away to a palace in another region, following the removal of the current king's first wife, the queen. The queen mother had long lost her ambition, added with the recent events, she went away without resistance. It was a different story with the king's first wife, who vehemently refused to step down and be placed into the ' _exiled palace_ '. Her removal happened not long before Taeyong's delivery, months before the death of the former king.

"You're mistaken if you think I would go quietly just because you ordered me to go, your majesty," Cheungcha said not without a grimace on her face, threat in her voice uncaring of being impolite towards the king.

"So you would go against your king's direct order?" Jaehyun had challenged.

"The people wouldn't agree to have their king wed a filthy lowlife of a gisaeng, no matter you've made it clear that it is with a reason to protect the kingdom, what's more make her the new queen? I think they would rather risk their life than let that happen."

"I think differently, Cheungcha, with your agreement or not, many voted that this union is far more important than keeping you," he hid a smile, certain and content with how things came to be.

"Because the people only know your lover as someone from that side, not about her being a gisaeng, if they know they would surely refuse such idea."

"They don't have to know," Jaehyun shrugged, giving the soon former queen a mocking smile, "what matters is that the palace already know about her nature and still voted the same to make her my new queen, your words holds nothing."

"You can't just-"

"Oh, but I can, Cheungcha. You see," the king took a closer step towards the woman, "had you not do anything which displeased me, I would have made matters pretty for you, but unfortunately, you have displeased me." The woman makes a confused expression despite recognition which blooms in her eyes, "I know what you did to my lover, Cheungcha. You really think I wouldn't hear of it?"

Trembles wake upon the former queen's body, red taking color either from rage or shame, "I did nothing."

"But you did push things forward to happen, as much as I know how my wives are capable of evils, I think they're not quite brave to do what they did to my lover, and I know you are capable of persuading. You're very good at it, I might applaud you for that, but not in this case. If you think about it carefully, I'm still making it easier for you rather than banishing you unsightly as a punishment. You should be thankful all I did is removing you from the capital palace and not tarnishing your family name, or is that what you want, to be rid of from here?"

Cheungcha didn't answer nor can she deny. With a satisfied smile the king added, "I think not. Very well, Cheungcha."

And that was how the former queen was removed from the main palace, having her dignity thrown off yet still holds the same privileges as the other consorts in their new, faraway palace. Banquet being held to welcome the new queen not long after, for it was rushed to happen before the delivery of the king's children. The time frame was still too short, but it was better than announcing the birth of the new prince or princess out of wedlock, only helped with the palace's reasoning that the king's lover was already been wed secretly months before, to settle the people.

Taeyong was mostly quiet through it all, not even present at the new queen's banquet and instead stayed in his room with only his trusted maid servant and the gumiho to accompany his last moments before the birth. After the war, the gumiho disappeared to God knows where for a certain time, only to come back bearing news that the dark lurkers would be much more welcoming the idea of children from the two of them for a union stronger than only their marriage. Jokingly he said, "strangely, most of them didn't know that there's already two on the way, so I supposed you can make a lot more to appease them."

To which Taeyong begrudgingly replied with, "if this is what I have to go through every time I'm bearing his children, I think not."

Truthfully the comment left Jaehyun feeling a bit disappointed, but knowing how hard it was on his lover, he agreed for the best of Taeyong. Even more so when he had to wait outside his chamber while Taeyong screaming his lungs out in pain due to delivery. His heart trembled in fear and mind terrorized for the worst thing could happen was barely minutes away in that moment, everything could go wrong, the sharp smell of blood penetrating not only his nose but also his soul and he can only pray that Taeyong make it through.

Many maid servants hovering in front of the door because they weren't allowed in by the gumiho who's right now inside the room with Taeyong, until he tell them otherwise. It was grueling for all of them since Taeyong screamed as if he's being butchered, but the one who felt it the most, the one who was on the brink of insanity due to fear, was the king who paced restlessly in the hallways of his chamber. But then, after a long antagonizing moment, a piercing cry heard, Jaehyun lifted up his head for a moment of relief before he heard Heechul shouted, ' _one more!'_

And when the second cry heard, noise heightens, Jaehyun felt his knees weaken and he fell from the burst of relief and thankfulness. He knows Taeyong is alright, he knows that his lover was still alive because at that time, he could feel it in their bond so strongly than ever. Immediately the maid servants rushed in to help with the washing and cleaning, with it Jaehyun too, comes in. The smell of blood was almost unbearable and worry start to seep into his bones again, but when he sees Taeyong, he breathed.

Taeyong, who's so dear to Jaehyun, oh so loved, was lying comfortably in his king bed, golden pillows around him and silk blanket warmly over him. He looks exhausted, face pale with red spots and fine veins littering his skin from the tell tale of how hard it was. But he's alright, he's breathing and he's smiling languidly, gums peeking out when he sees Jaehyun coming closer.

"Hi," he whispered tiredly.

"Hi love," Jaehyun replied, chest tight and heart so full he hurries to catch Taeyong's hands into his own, holding closely. He sees his lover's face and smile, his now queen, his everything. Then he watches from the side how his babies are being clothed carefully by the maid servants, "you did it, love. You're so amazing."

"It's a boy and a girl, a pair," Taeyong grinned, squeezing the king's hand weakly, "I'm happy."

"Happy can't even begin to describe what I'm feeling right now, I'm over the moon," Jaehyun laughed, teary eyed and wet in the corner of his eyes.

"That's an interesting expression, the moon huh?" Taeyong giggled, eyes closing for exhaustion demands his body to rest.

"You're my moon, my love, my life," he kissed the slightly cold hands, lingering to pour everything of his into the skin.

Blinking slowly, Taeyong smiled again, "and you are, my sun."

The news of the birth of the new prince and new princess was welcomed joyously by everyone, humans and dark lurkers, since they strengthens the kingdom and the union between two worlds. The parties being held for weeks, people dancing and singing, some dark lurkers sneaking in to join while most celebrate in their hidden homes, and some humans made food offerings as a sign of respect to them.

It was the happiest moment in all Jaehyun's life, never did he believe he could attain such happiness years ago. And he learnt, that all his hardships, pain, blood and tears from the past, was to lead him to this moment. He thanks himself for never giving up.

Taeyong too, was happy, to see his children growing up healthy, strong and beautiful. And although the palace life is restraining and stressful, he learns to appreciate it because the love of the king's gives him many leeway to feel freedom. He could visit his mother and sisters too, although discreetly, introducing his babies to the only family he has, there's nothing more he could ask for. The gumiho, Heechul, for the most part keep disappearing from their life, but when he did come to visit, he would say it was because he was there to help their children to control their powers. Which obviously not true since the little prince and princess are still too young to even use their powers, so they're mostly like human kids with the exception of their slightly faster growth. They thinks the gumiho just missed them, that's all.

There are times, when both Jaehyun and Taeyong fears for the future knowing what their children are capable of, if there was a continuation of the prophecy. They didn't stop hoping for the safety and happiness of their children, and when anxiety and fear visits them like such, they would share a smile and strengthening gaze, reminding each other that they are not alone to cross the bridge when the time comes. They'll be ready.

It was when the little prince and little princess having their second birthday, did Taeyong give Jaehyun a teasing smile and said, "what do you think about giving them siblings?"

It felt like his brain had a short circuit for a moment, Jaehyun was unsure if he heard Taeyong right, "you want to...?"

"You know, I'm very happy to have them, to have our children that I can't help wanting to have more. So I'm asking you, do you want to?" He grins, carefree and so, so bright in his happiness that Jaehyun feels his heart melts at the sight.

Oh how can he be so lucky to have Taeyong as his love, his forever? "It was hard on you, wasn't it? Are you sure?"

"I know, I'm not going to lie that it didn't scare me a bit, whether I can go through it again. But that was before, now, now I just want to have a bigger family with you, Jaehyun," Taeyong whispered his name to his lips, kissing him softly before his golden eyes glinting warmly and back to deep amber.

"Anything you want, love. I'm here to give you everything you want," Jaehyun answered with another kiss, deeper and affectionate, "I love you."

"And I love you more, my king," he chuckled when Jaehyun bite his lips playfully, not agreeing to his statement.

"No, I, love you more."

"Wanna bet?" They giggles, kissing and breathing each other, eyes closed to bask in the intimacy.

"Not to burst your bubble, but just want to tell you guys that wolves offspring isn't like humans."

The both of them screamed like banshee in surprise, turning away to find the gumiho Heechul grinning to them from his perch on a nearby tree. "In gods name, Heechul! Stop startling us like that!" Jaehyun grumbles.

Taeyong too, want to protest, but there's another more pressing matter he would like to question, "what do you mean by that?"

"Well," the gumiho twirling in the air to stall time and keep them on edge, grinning mischievously, "most humans give birth to one baby right? That's not the case with wolves, two or three is the least of it, or... a litter!"

"Oh no," Jaehyun let out with fear, opposite to Taeyong who could only widen his eyes in disbelief. But then again, that was why he gave birth to a twin, wasn't it?

"With how fast the pregnancy is and that quantity, the king won't even need help from consorts to fill the palace of the princes and princess," Heechul guffaw, then eyes catch sight of the twins who are running up to him from their birthday foods, playing with his fluffy tail with their dirty tiny hands.

"Well, that's just, maybe no more pregnancy then-"

"He better not have any consort," Taeyong cuts in with serious eyes, yet lips smiling to the king, "if he wants to stay alive that is."

"Love, I even sent away all my consorts, you really think I'll take another when you're the only one who can make me feel this way?" Jaehyun deadpanned, got surprised when Taeyong suddenly yanked at his collar a little bit.

"You'd better," he whispered to the plump lips before kissing it sweetly, "and how did I make you feel?"

Jaehyun giggles, happiness bubbling up in his chest, "in love, Taeyong."

"I love you too," Taeyong kissed him again, turning around to stare at his family, his twins who are braiding Heechul's long hair, and his king. His husband, "whatever will be, will be."

And that was the start of the kingdom to have strong, powerful kings and princes, and intelligent princesses for the many generations later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT'S IT THAT'S THE END!!!
> 
> Thank you to whoever reading this and was patient enough to wait for my slow ass uwu, I have no excuse lol.
> 
> I'm sorry if there was anything in this story which was triggering or offend you in anyway, there's no intention to do so, so please tell me and educate me if i do!
> 
> Thank you for the someone who give me this prompt to work on, you're cool 🤟😎👍
> 
> Thank you!! Until we meet again!!

**Author's Note:**

> I would really love it if you give me a comment ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)
> 
> Hit me up on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RiriSailing?s=09)


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